The Licensing Source Book Europe – Spring 2022

Spring 2022

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Hello I

t may be a new year, but at times it feels like we’re still trapped in Groundhog Day and it’s March 2020. At time of writing, two major toy trade shows – Spielwarenmesse and New York Toy Fair – had just cancelled within days of each other due to the continuing effects of the pandemic, while a number of other industry events had been pushed back until later in the year. London Toy Fair and Spring Fair, however, are still currently firmly in the events calendar.

Speaking to licensees, licensors and agents for this first LSB of 2022, there is optimism for this year. We’re well used to our plans being thrown into disarray and adapting, and this has made us all even more tenacious, innovative and forward thinking. Necessity is the mother of invention, after all.

The industry has a big opportunity to position itself in a proactive way going forward – as one of LSB’s long-time contributors often points out, licensing can add value to businesses and help create fresh impetus for companies in challenging times.

Nowhere is this truer than at retail. While the popularity of online shopping has been hastened by the pandemic, this is the year when bricks and mortar retailers have a real chance to bring people back to high streets.

From branded in-store experiences – something which Primark has been championing for major licensed properties since before the pandemic – to dedicated cross-category aisles in supermarkets, pop-up stores and more innovative, eye-catching window displays, there is real pent up demand

Inset: The LSB team were thrilled to get back to hosting live awards ceremonies in 2021.

from consumers and it’s there for the taking.

Crucially though, the industry as a whole needs to remember that consumers aren’t the same as they were two years ago. As another of our contributors in this issue points out, they’ve spent two years dealing with a global pandemic and they now want products from all categories which deliver something different – whether that’s to wear, for their homes, for their children, for their pets. Put that together with a freshened up approach from bricks and mortar retail, and we’re well on our way.

Let’s do all we can to make sure that 2022 is the year that the groundhog finally comes out, and stays out, of hibernation.

The LSB Team Samantha Loveday, Jakki Brown, Ian Hyder and Rob Willis.

Samantha Loveday - Editor Ian Hyder - Joint Managing Director Jakki Brown - Joint Managing Director and Editorial Director Rob Willis - Publishing Director Mark Grayson - Creative Director Tel: 020 7700 6740 E-mail: hello@max-publishing.co.uk Copyright 2022. The publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers nor any organisation mentioned in the text.

ISSN 25158643.

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CONTENTS

What’s Inside?

8-11

State of the Nation: Corporate

14-17

Talking points for 2022

18-21

Licensee feedback: Q1

22-23

The Insights Family: Future Forecast 2022

26-27

Retail Round-up

30-33

2022 anniversaries and milestones

34-37

Licensor feedback: growth opportunities

40-41

State of the Nation: Nursery & Preschool

42-43

In Conversation With… Ideas International

46-47

State of the Nation: Gaming

48-49

The Big Interview:

70-71

State of the Nation: Services

74-75

Sporting Insight from Simon Gresswell

77

State of the Nation: Sports

81-121

The Licensees’ Showcase

123-182

2022/2023 Guide to Services & Suppliers

Pyramid International 50-51

Products of Change in 2022

53

State of the Nation: Sustainability

54-61

News of the world: overseas feedback

64-67

State of the Nation: Brands

68-69

In Conversation With… HEAD

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2022

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STATE OF THE NATION: CORPORATE

Inset: Erve UK & Ireland says that its mission is to ‘increase value without compromise’.

Back in business

Erve Group sets up in the UK

Erve Group has revealed the official launch of a new UKbased company, Erve UK & Ireland, bringing over 35 years of licensing and brand experience directly to the UK and Ireland.

The company offers licensed and branded fashion and apparel to UK and Irish consumers of all ages across daywear, nightwear, underwear, socks/hosiery, swimwear and accessories.

Tom Rossi, md, said: “Our mission at Erve UK & Ireland is to increase value without compromise. Increase retailer value through maximising their margins and volumes with highquality products from reliable sources, and brand owner value through improved market coverage in line with their brand and business expectations.

“Our team has a vast amount of hands-on experience in the UK and Ireland apparel markets and a deep knowledge of the retail sector and end consumer, having held senior roles at market-leading organisations as brand owners, licensees and suppliers with a strong UK retail foothold.”

In addition to its burgeoning brand and licensing business, the company also produces private label apparel for large retailers.

Biggest Batman film line in over a decade

With The Batman due to hit cinemas in March, WarnerMedia Global Brands and Experiences has revealed the largest collection of Batman licensed merchandise in over a decade.

A raft of products will be launching across categories including fashion, accessories, beauty products, toys and

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The licensing industry is off and running in 2022, with new commitments to the UK, high profile job moves, major movie collaborations and fresh product launches already being confirmed. LSB takes a look at some of the most recent happenings.

Below: French fashion house, Lanvin is among the high profile collaborations for The Batman.

collectables. Highlights include a dedicated collection from French fashion house, Lanvin, plus an in-store initiative from New York store, Saks including a pop-up and custom window displays.

Other key partners include Carhartt, Venus Williams’ lifestyle and activewear brand EleVen by Venus Williams, PUMA, Fossil, Funko, McFarlane, Spin Master, LEGO, Hot Wheels, Rubies and Oreo to name just a few.

"WarnerMedia Global Brands and Experiences’ mission is to engage fans with our iconic characters and stories and excite them for new content releases,” commented Pam Lifford, president of WarnerMedia Global Brands and Experiences. "This is the first solo Batman theatrical release in more than a decade, and this powerful new story inspired even more ways for fans to engage and celebrate this iconic DC Super Hero."

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STATE OF THE NATION: CORPORATE

Caroline High opens own consultancy

Former Boat Rocker Studios, Fremantle and Warner Bros. executive, Caroline High has confirmed the launch of her own consultancy.

Caroline High Consultancy will specialise in the launch, development and management of licensing programmes and retail strategy directly in the UK and Eire.

Caroline has worked in the licensing business for some 20 years, gathering vast experience across the preschool, lifestyle, movie, entertainment and toy categories.

Art and cultural IP licensee, ARTiSTORY is already on board, with Caroline set to play a key role in the UK team to secure licensing deals using its latest designs, inspired by artwork and artefacts from the archives of its partners.

Caroline commented: “Having recently set up my own consultancy I am delighted to work with Natasha and the team at ARTiSTORY and I am looking forward to working on the licensing strategy for their engaging portfolio and bringing their designs to market in new categories.”

Above: Caroline has confirmed that she will be working with art and cultural IP licensee, ARTiSTORY.

Fanatics welcomes Matthew Primack

Ambitious digital sports platform, Fanatics has appointed former IMG executive, Matthew Primack as svp international business development.

Matthew will be responsible for building on Fanatics’ strong international growth through the acquisition of new rights and commercial routes to market. He was previously long-term svp at IMG Licensing.

“This is an incredibly exciting time to be joining Fanatics and there is a huge opportunity to grow the International business on an already well-established base,” commented Matthew. “Our ability to deliver a comprehensive range of fan experiences, merchandise, memorabilia and on-demand items designed and manufactured through the company’s vertical commerce business model will help partners across the world better serve their fans, and I am excited to get started and represent the business.

Below: Matthew will be looking to build on Fanatics’ strong international growth.

Danilo scores with Liverpool

Danilo Promotions has revealed what is ‘top of the pops’ on the calendar front, with its 11 bestselling licensed calendars for 2022 being topped

by Liverpool Football Club, taking first place for the third year in succession.

The company was on track to sell more than three million calendars by Christmas, from its vast portfolio of Above: Liverpool FC was the top officially licensed titles selling calendar for Danilo. which reflect popular culture.

The Top 11 (with last year’s position shown in brackets) is as follows: 1. Liverpool Football Club (1) 2. Manchester United Football Club (3) 3. Friends (4) 4. Sir Cliff Richard (2) 5. Minecraft (new entry) 6. BTS (new entry) 7. Pokémon (new entry) 8. Star Wars (5) 9. BBC Landscapes (new entry) 10. Kelly Brook (10) 11. Squid Game (new entry) As well as the overall list of best sellers, Danilo also drilled down on its sporting titles, with Liverpool once again coming out on top, followed by Manchester United, Chelsea and Spurs.

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STATE OF THE NATION: CORPORATE

The Point.1888 adds to its palette

B&LLAs 2022 open for entries

The Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards are back for 2022, and are now open for entries.

The event – now in its seventh year – will take place on Wednesday 27 April, at a lavish afternoon event at the Hilton Park Lane, London. The deadline for nominations and entries across all categories is Tuesday 8 March, 2022.

The B&LLAs 2022 will look to reward brand and lifestyle licensing activity which has taken place in the UK between 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021, across Product, Retail and Property categories. In addition, the Brand Ambassador Award will also be presented to a special individual (brand owner, licensor, retailer, licensee or supplier), acknowledging their contribution to the brand licensing sector.

The entry and nomination process for all categories is free and via online submission – all the forms can be accessed from the dedicated B&LLAs website: www.brandlicensingawards.com.

The Point.1888 is starting 2022 with some new colour, pattern and impact thanks to the signing of three new artists to its roster: Ben Eine, Emily Burningham and Real Hackney Dave.

Known for his use of type, Ben Eine is a famous graffiti artist who has previously collaborated with Banksy; Dave Buonaguidi (Real Hackney Dave) is a London-based artist who combines the visual and verbal language of advertising and propaganda with unique imagery and materials of found objects and ephemera; while Emily has a passion for pattern and colour and has featured in Liberty, House & Garden and Ideal Home among others.

They will join The Point.1888’s existing book of artists and designers which includes British interior design brand, MissPrint, plus Rachel Ellen, Jimbobart and I Like Birds.

Above: The Point.1888 has welcomed a trio of new artists and designers.

Growth for Golden Bear

Toy licensee, Golden Bear reported a growth in sales of 9.5% to £25.1 million in the 15-month period ending 31 March 2021. Operating profit grew to £2.3 million compared to the previous figure of £1.2 million in the calendar year 2019.

In the UK market, the company saw dynamic growth with the Bing, Hey Duggee and Smart Ball brands. The strategy to increase international sales also bore fruit with increased sales of 33% to international distributors. This was driven by Bing which is now the number one preschool licence in Italy.

Alongside licences, the company also invested in its own IP (such as Curlimals and Squirty Gertie) and its sales and marketing capabilities. Its sustainability push also continued with investment in solar panels and electric car charge points at its Telford office.

“Everyone at Golden Bear is rightly proud of the company’s performance in 2020/21 and a massive thanks must go to all our staff and retail and licence partners who delivered great results despite all the challenges,” said Barry Hughes, md at Golden Bear.

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Above: Hey Duggee was one of the key licensed performers for Golden Bear.

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Left: Pinocchio and Friends is already a top rated show in Italy.

STATE OF THE NATION: CORPORATE

Rainbow’s CBeebies scoop

Italy’s Rainbow Group has inked an exclusive agreement with CBeebies for its new CGI animated series, Pinocchio and Friends.

The show ranks as the most watched and top rated show on Italian channel Rai Yoyo. It aims to retain the original values from the classic story, while also giving it a contemporary twist for a modern audience.

“My new Pinocchio brings out the essence of what makes this story so inspirational while speaking to children in a lighthearted, educational show that empowers their dreams with key life values and exciting dynamics,” said Iginio Straffi, founder and ceo at Rainbow. “I couldn’t be more delighted that we’ve partnered with top quality broadcaster BBC to air on CBeebies for British children this year, and we look forward to seeing the series thrive.”

Retail Monster enters 2022 on a high

Licensing agency, Retail Monster has begun 2022 in a positive frame of mind, having continued on a robust growth trajectory throughout last year.

2021 saw the company expand outside of traditional licensing, setting up two new divisions.

The first offers ecommerce and digital marketing services, an area of Retail Monster’s business which has experienced significant growth this year. Meanwhile, the second is full franchise management, integrating full marketing services, PR management and content management.

The expansion has been supported with new hires, with the company doubling the size of its UK team, as well as extending its footprint into France and Japan.

Retail Monster also welcomed six new partners in 2021, as well as receiving its second nomination in as many years for Best Licensing Agent at the Licensing International Excellence Awards.

Usain Bolt races in with Mr Men

The world’s fastest man and Olympic champion, Usain Bolt, has collaborated with Mr Men Little Miss to create a new character.

A new mash-up storybook – entitled Mr Bolt and written and illustrated by Adam Hargreaves – has been published by Opus, with the hope being that

it will inspire children to use their talents, however big or small, to bring a smile to everyone they meet along their journey.

To celebrate the release, six Golden Tickets were randomly hidden inside six copies of Above: The release of the book Mr Bolt. The finders of the rounded off the 50th anniversary celebrations for Mr Men. tickets will have the chance to meet Usain in person this year.

Alastair McHarrie, licensing director at Sanrio, commented: “What a way to finish our 50th anniversary celebrations, a mash-up with the greatest sprinter of all time. It was an honour to see him live at the 2012 London Olympics as it is to partner with him on this truly inspirational Mr. Men collaboration.”

Marvel rocks out

Iron Maiden and Marvel have collaborated to create a unique collection of merchandise.

Fans of both the rock band and Marvel will be dealt a wide assortment of apparel and accessories, highlighting iconic Marvel characters and Iron Maiden’s mascot, Eddie. Designs will pay tribute to Wolverine, Venom, Thanos and Deadpool in unique variations of iconic album and single artwork such as Fear of the Dark, The Trooper and Killers.

The deal was confirmed by Global Merchandising Services.

Rolling Stones get licked

The Royal Mail has revealed a new set of 12 stamps as a tribute to the Rolling Stones.

Eight of the stamps feature images of some of the band’s legendary performances over the years – including Hyde Park in 1969, Rotterdam in 1995 and Knebworth in 1976 – while a further four stamps are presented as a Miniature Sheet, featuring two shots of the band together and two of their vintage worldwide tour posters.

The Rolling Stones are only the fourth music group to feature in a dedicated stamp issue, with the others being The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Queen.

“Few bands in the history of rock have managed to carve out a career as rich and expansive as that of the Rolling Stones,” commented David Gold, director of public affairs and policy at Royal Mail. “They have created some of modern music’s most iconic and inspirational albums, with ground-breaking live performances to match.”

The collaboration was secured by Bravado, Universal Music Group’s brand management and lifestyle division.

Above: The Rolling Stones are only the fourth music group to feature in a dedicated stamp issue.

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TALKING POINTS FOR 2022

LSB highlights some talking points for the licensing business in 2022 – from supply chain and shipping challenges, through to emerging categories which you really should know about.

Talk of the town

I

t’s a New Year and with it come new opportunities. After almost two years of disruption caused by the pandemic, there will be hopes that 2022 will bring an increased sense of normality to our lives and, along with it, renewed consumer confidence.

There will, of course, be challenges. Speaking to a selection of licensees across various categories, a return to less fractious supply chains, with a rebalancing of shipment costs and more regularised factory lead times was high on the agenda. The challenges are likely to remain a key talking point as we move through the year. On top of this, there has also been a change when it comes to post-Brexit customs rules. From 1 January 2022, exports between Great Britain and the EU will be subject to full customs controls. Some sectors will be hit harder than others - the rules are more complicated for animal products, for example.

But on to a trend which is seeing continued positive momentum - an issue which is only growing in awareness and importance, sustainability will continue to be high on the agenda as a wider industry trend for 2022. New research from The Insights Family found that ‘purpose first’ is becoming a key factor for parents when buying products for their children, and this could see companies switch their marketing strategies to better convey their sustainability credentials. Products of Change will also continue to bring the industry together and drive it forward with a number of initiatives, one of which will be the first in-person Sustainability in Licensing Conference at the Royal Geographical Society on 22 June, 2022.

A host of major sporting events should also provide a lift for this market category. Beginning

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with the Beijing Olympic Winters Games in February, and encompassing the UEFA Women’s EURO England 2022 in the summer, the Rugby League World Cup (which begins in October) and culminating in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in November and December, there should be plenty of opportunities for the licensing business.

Likewise, the arrival of several eagerly awaited blockbuster movies at the box office. The heavyweight release schedule includes Robert Pattinson’s debut as the Caped Crusader in The Batman, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, DC League of Super-Pets, Top Gun: Maverick, Jurassic World: Dominion, Lightyear, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Minions: The Rise of Gru and Thor: Love and Thunder to name a few.

When it comes to retail with online having surged ahead due to the pandemic, it’s fair to say that bricks and mortar has some ground to make up.

Expect to see more pop-up experiences launching (Event Merchandising is one to watch here), as well as activations in shopping centres from Rainbow Productions and the licensors it works with, as physical retail looks to put some ‘oomph’ back into the high street in 2022.

Continuing on the retail theme, those which have considerably upped their licensing game over the past 12 months include Iceland, B&M and Studio.com. Meanwhile, Character.com, Missguided, H&M, George @ Asda and The Hut Group continue to make ambitious moves with collaborations and sustainability initiatives, while Primark continues its bounceback from the 2020-21 lockdowns.

Plus, of course, all eyes are on the return of Toys R Us to the UK.

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TALKING POINTS FOR 2022

Getting immersive

THE GRAND REOPENING much that can be done with a brand in such a space.”

“Immersive events can be a significant Licensors should think about additional string to the bow for most brand the vastly expanding immersive licensing programmes,” Tom entertainment sector as a key Roe, head of global licensing part of their brand offering, plus at Immersive Everywhere, as part of the global voice of tells LSB. their IPs, says Tom. “They It may still be a relatively typically complement any new format in terms of traditional live event activations,” rights availability, but he adds. “Our immersive shows Immersive Everywhere is can also provide brand no stranger to attracting Untitled-1 1 10/01/2022 12:50 Inset: Immersive Everywhere has Above: Tom Roe, head already enjoyed success with The Great owners with additional audiences, with its Londonof global licensing, Gatsby and Doctor Who: Time Fracture Immersive Everywhere. and will be launching Peaky Blinders: revenue streams that they based immersive The Great The Rise later this year. normally do not receive Gatsby being the longest running show of form traditional its kind in the UK and the second longest theatre shows. This is running in the world. Last year – despite still a very new and the challenges of Covid – the company extremely exciting launched its Doctor Who: Time Fracture format, and the level of immersive theatrical adventure. engagement is second Tom says that the company signed a to none across the live couple of major brands last year which are events space. There is still under wraps, however one that he can also plenty of talk about is Peaky Blinders: The Rise which opportunity that will take place in Camden Market and is comes from placing immersive experiences in ‘nonalready generating serious chatter among fans. traditional’ locations.

“On venues, we always look to place our shows in “It’s still very early days for this cutting-edge interesting or iconic locations,” explains Tom. “This format, and Immersive Everywhere is certainly in adds to the spectacle and enables us to tell the story the market for more leading IP. If you’re a brand in the best manner. To give you a sense of the scale owner, and we’re not already speaking, please of our productions, typically our venues are between get in touch.”

30-40,000 square feet, and there is obviously so ‘GET IMMERSED IN JAZZ-AGE HEDONISM’ THE GUARDIAN

THE LONDONIST

THE TIMES

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T I C K E T S AVA I L A B L E A T

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“Animé is highly influential in the West”

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Bottom left: Max Arguile, founder, Reemsborko.

“Many more licensees are now getting seriously interested in animé - in December, at their request, I ran through the entire Reemsborko roster for the benefit of a licensee,” begins the agency’s founder, Max Arguile. “This happened less than a year after almost the same meeting with the same licensee. At that point, they were very unsure about the genre and nothing happened but now, because retail is asking for it, they know they have to take animé seriously.”

Hatsune Miku was the busiest licence for the company during lockdown and this continued in 2021, says Max. He is also confident that all the work done on Dragon Ball will soon bear fruit, while the Junji Itô Collection continues to grow with a number of new licensees and ranges.

So why should animé brands be on the radar? “It’s partly about the well-established and multi-generational fanbases, and also the ability to open doors at retail but more that, animé brands are very much worth your consideration because your competitors mostly don’t have them, and nor do your customers,” points out Max. “Animé is highly influential in the West and the fans that grew up on it are now creating their own versions.

Zombie Makeout Club is an animé-adjacent property from a US designer that has been very well established in Hot Topic in the US for over a year. The apparel range just had an incredible start in the UK for Trademark. As well as HMV and Forbidden Planet, and others, they are now going into EMP, at which point we predict consistent European sales for an extended period. The fans are out there, and they are keen to buy the product. Watch out for Zombie Makeout Club… don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Right: Hatsune Miku was the busiest licence during lockdown for Reemsborko, with products including silver jewellery from Licensed to Charm.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2022

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TALKING POINTS FOR 2022

The metaverse explained No doubt you will have heard people talking about NFTs and the metaverse. But what exactly are they and why should the licensing industry be taking notice?

“In the simplest terms, NFTs are ‘one-of-a-kind’ assets based on blockchain technology that can be bought and sold – a good way to think of them is as certificates of ownership for virtual or physical assets,” explains Jake Scott, head of community and blockchain innovation at Reality Gaming Group.

“An NFT can represent anything - it’s most popular use cases so far have been for artwork, profile pictures, game assets and land ownership, to name but a few. Each unique token represents true ownership and enables holders to use or trade their NFTs whenever and however they wish.”

The concept of the metaverse, meanwhile, is a network of virtual worlds focused on social interaction, sometimes referred to as Web 3.0.

“Think of it as the next stage of evolution for the internet, interconnected with our everyday lives,” explains Jake. “The virtual worlds being created right now by brands and the likes of Meta (formerly Facebook) have all kinds of applications, including playing games, watching films or concerts, working with colleagues or just chatting to friends. While the metaverse concept has been around for a while, the advent of VR and 3D rendering means it has become a visual, not just a social. With NFTs, owners can see and interact with their digital items in the metaverse.”

Reality Gaming Group’s current NFT projects include Doctor Who: Worlds Apart – an upcoming officially licensed digital NFT trading card game); digital collectables for legendary boxer, Floyd Mayweather, Emojibles and

Smighties Universe, plus mobile game Reality Clash which uses NFTs for in-game items.

Jake continues: “NFTs offer a way for brands to connect with their fans/users/consumers on a deeper level, by enabling new ways to interact with digital (and physical) products in the virtual world. Brands are seeking to enter the metaverse and become prominent players in that virtual space so that they continue to remain relevant. It’s important that they do: brands who did not utilise the internet when it first emerged missed a colossal opportunity to get to know their consumers better and to market products to them more effectively.”

Importantly though, Jake urges that brand owners need to do their research on the space.

Above: Reality Gaming Group’s current NFT projects include Doctor Who: Worlds Apart, an officially licensed digital NFT trading card game.

“Brands need to look for real utility and not launch an NFT as a gimmick or cash grab - and there is plenty of opportunity out there to create NFTs in the right way,” he says. “Brands should learn about NFTs and their potential place in the metaverse before jumping in.”

Store counts

A number of retailers have committed more shelf space (both physical and virtual) to licensed products over the past 12 months and more.

The Radar Award at The Licensing Awards 2021 was hotly contested with The Hut Group being named as the eventual winner. However, it faced strong competition from B&M, Card Factory, The Range, Studio.com and Superdrug.

With licensing having the potential to add value to a retailer’s offering, attracting new consumers into stores and tempting back old ones, we should expect to see a rise in activity across the board this year.

Right: The Hut Group’s head of licensing, Natalie Kumeta (centre) collected The Radar Award at The Licensing Awards 2021.

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LICENSEE FEEDBACK

As we enter 2022, LSB asks a selection of licensees from across various categories how they are looking to make the most of the first quarter of the year.

Close quarters Simon Foulkes, md, Rainbow Productions “Sustainability in recent years has become the buzzword of the environmentally conscious community (of which I am proud that Inset: Rainbow Productions Rainbow is utterly is to grow its productive capacity, says Simon. engrossed). But, commercial sustainability meant fleet-footedness in 2021 and in our sector of the industry navigating steaming coals was Q4’s bush-tucker challenge.

The surge in popularity of immersive and experiential activations has been seismic and while we have always matched the demand for managing live events, either with or without costume characters, the pressure we are now under is to grow our productive capacity. Nice problem to have thinking back to those steaming coals, but one thing I am sure of is that Q1 2022 is going to be expensive. We are expanding our administrative workforce, growing our infrastructure, developing and adding automated systems as well finding and training new steamsters, seamstresses, prop makers and sculptors.

And our exhibition travel plans are now back on schedule. The export team will be manning exhibition stands in many different industries to find new business and develop new markets.”

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Fran Hales, head of content and marketing, Rubies Masquerade Co UK

“We plan to continue building on the momentum from 2021 supported by the launch of new preschool licensed ranges, sustainable costumes and new Harry Potter lines for World Book Day and the 25th anniversary celebrations this year. Rubies will also have more big announcements coming very soon on the expansion of our product portfolios for the remainder of 2022 and beyond.

Q1 will also kick start an action-packed entertainment extravaganza with huge opportunities from the biggest cinematic releases of the year. It all starts in February with the highly anticipated The Batman when we launch the latest offerings in our DC range with a selection of officially licensed adult and children’s costumes to choose from, including Batman and Batman Deluxe costumes, as well as Selina Kyle (Catwoman) costumes.

As the official Corporate Partner of the World Book Day charity, we are very excited about 3 March. As part of our All Dressed Up campaign, the focus for World Book Day will be to encourage consumers to ‘Read…

Wear… Share’ with Rubies costumes. The campaign promotes the importance of being able to enjoy reading a book, owning a book and wearing a costume as a secondary part of the celebrations on the day. The sharing element is twofold, firstly by sharing a story or a favourite book and secondly actively encouraging children to donate their costume from previous book days either to charity or to schools to ensure other children can also experience the joys of having their own character costume and don’t miss out on the fun.”

Left: Fran and the Rubies team will be looking to build on momentum from 2021.

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LICENSEE FEEDBACK Right: Golden Bear is looking to bring its brands to life for retailers and consumers, says Barry.

Barry Hughes, md, Golden Bear Toys

“Toy Fair will be a major focus and a wonderful opportunity to meet our retailers, licensors and other partners face to face again.

We’ve got lots of new products to share, including awesome new toys for Bing and Hey Duggee and we’re also very proud to be launching a new super cute animatic plush range called Curlimals, as well as extensions to the very successful Windy Bums and Smart Ball brands.

Finally, we look forward to playing our new family action game Squirty Gertie with visitors to our stand… bring a towel!

In addition, we have some exciting marketing plans in place to support our new launches and bring the brands to life for our retailers and consumers.”

Mel Beer, licensing director EMEA, Amscan

“I’m excited about all our new licensed product launches for 2022 including the new Batman Above: Amscan has a raft movie, Grease, Top Gun: of new launches planned, says Mel. Maverick, Baby Shark, Heinz Baked Beans and Tomato Ketchup, Slush Puppie and Blippi costumes, plus CoComelon and Disney Classics balloons.

We’re also introducing design refreshes for our classic balloon and party licences, such as PAW Patrol, Bing, My Little Pony, Barbie, Fireman Sam and Smiley. We’ve also got lots more licences in the pipeline…

I’m also looking forward to catching up with our customers, licensors and industry friends at the upcoming trade shows in January and February.”

Hannah Lowe, account manager, Roy Lowe & Sons

“Despite the continued challenges of Covid, container delays, price hikes and power shortages, we have entered 2022 with beaming smiles as 2021 produced the best year yet for Roy Lowe & Sons, with double digit growth across a number of areas.

Building on this outstanding success rate, our plan for 2022 is filled with optimism, particularly for our online Roy’s Boys site that has smashed all our ambitious targets set for 2021 - including selling out of our new Bluey matching family socks within a week of launching for Christmas.

Although Roy’s Boys remains a focus for us, our business is really growing rapidly in all areas. At the start of this year we will be recruiting for our ever expanding Roy Lowe team and revamping our offices in hope to welcome visitors throughout this year. We are opening new retail accounts, growing our licensing portfolio further and excited to get our teeth stuck into our biggest brands for 2021.”

Above: Business is growing rapidly in all areas for Roy Lowe & Sons, says Hannah.

Anthony Duckworth, md, Dreamtex

“We are really looking forward to building on the success we saw for our brands during the course of 2021. We have some great promotions planned with key retailers during Q1 into Q2, in addition to several new products being added to our home textile range, including Xbox Soft Storage.

Brands such as Xbox, Liverpool FC and L.O.L. Surprise continue to be incredible and we are very excited to be launching a brand new range for the BBC licence, Bluey.

Our continued social media activities have had great feedback from retailers and licensors and, at a time when we are able to meet less, Above: Anthony says that it is really important to keep a Dreamtex has some key dialogue and flow going of promotions planned for Q1. information about new licences and opportunities for working together.”

Julie Jones, md, Redan Publishing

“We are thrilled to be celebrating 15 years of publishing Peppa Pig magazines in Q1 of 2022. Fun To Learn Peppa Pig magazine will see its 350th issue in March and Peppa Pig Bag-o-Fun celebrates its 150th issue in February.

Q1 also sees our first plastic-free covermounted issues with some fantastic, innovative designs including a dinosaur set on FTL Favourites magazine and a play scene set on Peppa Pig Bag-oFun. Sustainability has been, and continues to be a key focus, and it will be really exciting to see our ideas coming onto the market.

We are greatly encouraged by the resilience of the industry and were delighted to hear that London Toy Fair will be going ahead. We look forward to connecting and making exciting plans with many of our toy and licensing partners at this trade show.”

Right: Q1 will see Redan launch its first plastic-free covermounted issues, says Julie.

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SAVE THE DATE THURSDAY 12 MAY 2022 ROYAL LANCASTER HOTEL, LONDON 6:45pm UNTIL LATE, BLACK TIE

UNITING THE GIFT INDUSTRY Max Publishing in partnership with the Giftware Association Marking a significant unified step forward for the UK gift industry, the GA’s Gift of the Year (GOTY) awards and The Greats gift retailer awards are to join forces, with the winners of both awards programmes to be announced at a shared lavish black tie evening event.

The two award programmes will see both gift product excellence and retail prowess recognised and rewarded at an awards event to make the whole industry proud, attended by hundreds of gift suppliers and retailers.

The ownership and running of the Gift of the Year product awards, now in their 45th year, will remain under the stewardship of the Giftware Association while The Greats gift retailer awards, now in their 20th year, will continue to be wholly owned and run by Max Publishing (publishers of Progressive Gifts & Home magazine and giftsandhome.net).

Both parties will work closely together to create an enjoyable and uplifting evening event that will truly celebrate the industry’s achievements, both on the product and retailing fronts.

FIND OUT MORE AT WWW.THEGIFTAWARDS.COM

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LICENSEE FEEDBACK

Dan Grant, licensing director, Danilo

“After two very challenging years, I’m really hoping that 2022 offers a much more settled environment for business and home life.

Q1 is always a launch pad for Danilo as we enter trade show season. Hopefully there is renewed optimism coming out of 2021 and face to face meetings will be able to take place again soon. While there is still an element of uncertainty in the world, there are some great plans ahead in the world of entertainment, sport and lifestyle to create the energy and excitement we need to deliver our goals this year.”

Above: Dan is hoping 2022 offers a more settled environment for business.”

Dean Greasley, director of licensing, TDP Textiles

“For TDP, 2021 saw continued growth across all areas of the business, despite the pandemic and shipping crisis, so we are confident to continue this throughout 2022.

To make the most of Q1 2022 though, I have a great way of increasing personal contact with licensors, through what has been such a long period of isolation.

That thing on your desk you’ve been using as a paperweight, it’s actually a telephone… let’s have an actual conversation instead of ten emails to arrange a Teams meeting!”

Above: Get on the phone, says Dean

Emily Harrison, sales manager, Drew Pearson International “Key for us for Q1 2022 is to continue bringing great quality product to market and we are excited about how 2022 is rolling out so far.

There are still major challenges which we all know about - shipping, power restrictions and of course the ongoing pandemic - but as we all find ways of working through this, we are seeing great sales on licensed accessories.

More than ever, we are liaising with licensors and retailers to work into co-ordinated ranges instore and saw the result of everyone’s hard work reflected in last autumn’s Peppa Pig range at George, where accessories co-ordinated with outerwear and footwear. There will only be more of this in 2022.

There are still new opportunities out there and we are expanding our ecomm offer - it is a target growth area for us and we have had great feedback from retailers on our product. We will also be launching a comprehensive stock programme for 2022 comprising of the most sought after spring/summer and autumn/winter caps, beanies, scarves and gloves across all of our key licences.”

Right: Drew Pearson is seeing great sales on licensed accessories, says Emily.

Zoe Ryan, head of marketing, Fizz Creations

“2022 is set to be another exciting year for Fizz Creations as we head off to Nuremberg to exhibit for the first time at Spielwarenmesse, directly followed by Spring Fair Above: Fizz before heading out to New York (all Creations will be at pandemic permitting). It’s a great Spielwarenmesse opportunity to connect with our global for the first time, customers and we are looking forward to says Zoe. meeting people face to face again.

We are also anticipating a late spring launch of a whole new collection of SLUSH PUPPiE machines to join the award-winning Slushie Maker – just in time for summer as well as announcing some brand new licensing partnerships.”

Sue Stanley, licensing director, Brands In “We have a positive outlook on 2022 and hope that, first and foremost, it’s a year where the industry continues to work collaboratively driving through the pandemic and the many challenges.

Above: Brands In has a Back in 2020 our Brands In positive outlook for 2022, says Sue. business model meant we were able to act swiftly to the changes in the UK consumer retail landscape. We were fortunate to reap the benefits of this in 2021 with increased sales both online and in-store, secure new retail partnerships, expand our product range and drive international growth.

In 2022 we will continue to focus on two key areas of our business development, these being drop-ship and personalisation in licensed fashion jersey-wear apparel.

We are also great supporters of Products of Change and hope this continues to flourish.”

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THE INSIGHTS FAMILY RESEARCH

Future proofed The Insights Family predicts some of the key trends in the kids, parents and family universe to watch out for in 2022 from its Future Forecast report.

T

he Insights Family has launched its annual Future Forecast 2022 report, which highlights some of the key trends to keep an eye on for the next 12 months.

Future Forecast 2022 is the fourth iteration of the coveted report, which has previously predicted the rise of Direct to Consumer (2017), Generation Speak (2018) and Co-Creation (2020).

Inset: Future Forecast 2022 is the company’s fourth iteration of the report.

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The report has continued to track and monitor the impact of a number of key factors such as Covid, technology and the environment and how they are transforming the attitudes, behaviour and consumption of kids, parents and families around the world.

“Our purpose is to provide kids, parents and families with a voice,” comments Nick Richardson,

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THE INSIGHTS FAMILY RESEARCH

Roblox and Fortnite – two of the top three games founder and ceo of The Insights Family. “Every among tweens globally – are supported entirely by year we track their attitudes, behaviour and in-app microtransactions, which are immediately consumption in real-time, and the speed of change available to interact with at the point of purchase. we are seeing cannot be underestimated.

Among this demographic, in-app spend has “We are seeing more and more examples in our increased by a minimum of +50% year on year in data, as to why every organisation need to become Brazil and Australia, more than two thirds in family first, and our teams predictions for 2022 France and Spain, and more than doubled in highlight a number of exciting opportunities and Germany and India. challenges for organisations to deal with.”

However, The Insights Family also believes that we The company has highlighted 15 top trends – these are likely to see some brands adjust their marketing range from integrated metaverse experiences within in order to build greater anticipation for new product formal learning environments becoming much more releases, shifting away from instant gratification. commonplace and debates over kids’ rights in the The impact of ‘purpose first’ and how purpose ownership of their own digital IP, through to families could become the eighth ‘P’ in the marketing mix is seeking out brands and products that can also highlighted – with Parents Insights data offer flexibility and spontaneity so they can tracking the significant movement away from adapt to the flexible future. family purchase behaviours being influenced by Key predictions include direct to friends or blogs. consumer retail to accelerate with kids, The Insights Family is predicting that brands will due to its strong resonance with increasingly place genuine importance on ‘Generation Now’ – a their purpose and value-led marketing. generation of kids who More transparent messaging will also feel empowered in be included on packaging, so their decision consumers can see what they are making, who crave buying at face value. This will lead to instant gratification a movement towards more and expect anything, scientific, simplistic styling on anytime, anywhere. As packaging and technology that kids spend more time in digital enables families to understand more about a worlds, they have become more Inset: Above: ‘Generation Now’ feel empowered in product’s ingredients or supply chain. accustomed to receiving instant their decision making and crave instant gratification. gratification from their purchases.

The impact of the ‘flexible family’

The events of 2020 accelerated remote working capabilities, with some employers now operating a completely remote workforce and there is even a push in some quarters towards a four-day working week.

This flexible future means that parents are able to be more present in their family life and, in theory, give more time to their children’s lives beyond education. More leisure time spent in the same domestic space creates the potential for co-consumption of media, while The Insights Family believes we are also likely to see a growth in family-driven activities. The company’s data show that some of the most favourite family activities include eating out, being outdoors or cooking and baking… fun, family bonding opportunities and affordable activities are those most sought out when looking for what to do as a family.

It is predicting that families will seek out brands and products that can offer flexibility and spontaneity, so they can adapt to the flexible future. The rental, or buy now, pay later economy will increase for families. A potential growth in second homes, could mean creating a second life, or a more spontaneous attitude to travel will necessitate the need for financial flexibility.

Inset: Nick Sarah Riding, senior research and trends director, comments: “A rise in safe Richardson, community driven platforms for children who may spend more time away founder and ceo, The from an established base or school will be needed to ensure they feel Insights Family. connected to all aspects of their lives regardless of where they live.”

The complementary 26-page Future Forecast report is available to download by visiting: get.theinsightsfamily.com/futureforecast.

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RETAIL ROUND-UP

Inset: The range coincided with the debut of Disney+ show, The Book of Boba Fett.

Below left: The H&M x Smiley range is infused with retro vibes.

The New Year has kicked off with a number of retailers engaging with an increasingly diverse selection of licensed properties, from US colleges through to sports and heritage brands.

LSB rounds up some of the latest activity.

Basket fillers

Boba Fett blasts into Zavvi

Fans of the Star Wars spin-off, The Mandalorian, can now get their hands on a limited edition collection of Boba Fett merchandise at Zavvi.

The new range launched worldwide in conjunction with The Book of Boba Fett on Disney+. The wearable memorabilia is emblazoned with the Mandalorian helmet and Beskar armour, printed on a range of tshirts and jumpers.

The new clothing collection joins the existing Boba Fett products from Zavvi which includes homeware and action figures.

Smiley teams with H&M H&M has been enjoying success with a new streetwear collaboration with the Smiley brand.

The range – for both men and women – is infused with retro vibes and includes tie-dye hoodies, loosefit denim and relaxed joggers, tees, rugby shirts, a puffer jacket and sport socks. The colour palette is light purple, off-white, soft beige and solid black.

The majority of the collection is made using more sustainable materials.

Inset: The UCLA collection is part of Zara’s Join Life label.

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Pokémon Center online store opens for UK fans The Pokémon Company International has launched a new Pokémon Center UK online store, the company’s e-commerce arm and the premier destination for purchasing official Pokémon merchandise in the UK. This marks the first time that Pokémon fans in the UK can purchase a range of products

Zara goes back to college with UCLA

UCLA Trademarks & Licensing has launched a new fashion collection for men and children with Zara.

Part of the Zara ‘Join Life’ label, the range aims to celebrate the LA university brand and its Bruins mascot, with products including sweatshirts, long-sleeve tees and hoodies.

“We are very proud to represent the UCLA brand and happy to see this collection from Zara available worldwide to men and the children in their lives who aspire to live the UCLA dream,” commented Malin Jahde Holm, head of softlines licensing and collaborations at Plus Licens AB, which represents the UCLA brand for licensing opportunities in the European market.

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Right: Lids is predicting it will have 20 stores in the UK by the end of 2022.

RETAIL ROUND-UP

Licensed sports retailer, Lids hits the UK

US licensed sports retailer, Lids has arrived in the UK as part of an ambitious expansion plan across Europe.

The first store opened in Neal Street, Covent Garden, followed by outlets at O2 Peninsula Square, Lakeside Shopping Centre in Essex and Churchill Square Shopping Centre in Brighton.

The stores sell officially licensed MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL and footwear gear, as well as items from go-to brands including adidas, New Era Cap, ’47, Mitchell & Ness, Hurley, Oakley, Local Crowns and more. Each store also features Lids’ signature Custom Zones, which allows consumers the opportunity to custom embroider a hat or apparel piece of their choice in-store, including from the retailer’s numerous options of player numbers and autographs.

The projection is that Lids will have 20 stores in the UK by the end of 2022, stated president Britten Maughan.

including plush, pins, clothing and Pokemon TCG lines among others, directly from Pokémon Center.

New merchandise will be added continuously to the available goods through 2022 and beyond.

“Following the enormous success and huge amount of support shown by fans for the Pokémon Center London pop-up store in 2019, we are thrilled to bring Pokémon Center permanently to our fans in the UK,” said Cindy Ruppenthal, director of e-commerce at The Pokémon Company International.

Pull&Bear launches The Smurfs apparel Fashion chain, Pull&Bear – which is part of the Inditex group – has secured a direct to retail deal with DeAPlaneta Entertainment for the global launch of a collection inspired by The Smurfs.

The men’s range includes colourful t-shirts, sweatshirts, bomber jackets and jeans, as well as shorts, shirts and caps.

DeAPlaneta Entertainment handles the brand’s licensing programme in Spain, Portugal and Central and Eastern Europe.

Left: The DTR with Pull&Bear was secured

by DeAPlaneta Entertainment.

Toys R Us heading back to the UK The Toys R Us and Babies R Us names will be heading back into the UK retail landscape from 2022.

Toys R Us ANZ has secured an exclusive licence with WHP Global – the parent company of TRU and Babies R Us – to run digital and physical retail for both brands in the UK. Toys R Us ANZ runs the Australian ecommerce websites for both brands having acquired the brands from Hobby Warehouse Group in November 2020.

The team plans to begin online sales to UK shoppers over the next several months, initially from existing operations in Australia, while it works to establish local teams, offices and logistics facilities during 2022 and 2023.

NFL brand scores at retail

Primark and Missguided have both expanded their licensed sports offering with NFL collections.

A range of men’s t-shirts and sweatshirts from Poetic Brands launched in Primark in late 2021, with the initial collection being followed up with a larger offering to coincide with the Super Bowl in February.

Meanwhile, the licensee has also worked with online ladies’ retailer, Missguided on a range of NFL apparel targeted at young women.

The range – which included varsity jackets, sweatshirts, shorts, leggings, mini dresses, crop tops, t-shirt co-ord sets, jumper dresses and cardigans – was based around some of the key teams in the US league including New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers.

Right: The Missguided range focuses on teams including New England Patriots.

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MILESTONES & ANNIVERSARIES

Inset: Aardman is looking to keep the love flowing for the world’s favourite sheep.

It’s a huge year for anniversaries in the licensing world in 2022. LSB chats to just some of the brands honouring key milestones to find out what they have planned to mark the occasion.

The birthday brigade Aardman’s Shaun hits 15

Some 26 years ago, we first met Shaun the Sheep in Wallace & Gromit’s A Close Shave and in March 2022, Aardman is marking 15 years since the character took centre stage in his own TV show which now spans 170 territories, with six series (170 episodes), two TV specials and two movies.

After a busy Christmas – which saw the character appear in many key broadcasters’ schedules with The Flight Before Christmas, as well as starring in the festive windows at Fenwick – this year will see the release of the new Shaun the Sheep Augmented Reality trails, a first collaboration with V&A for the Chinese market and a global programme of activity with Woolmark.

The Shaun the Sheep Circus Show launches at the Sydney Myer Bowl in Melbourne, followed by dates in Sydney ahead of a UK tour, while a Shaun the Sheep Flock this Way exhibition will launch in partnership with the Minnesota Children’s Museum and the on-board tie-up with P&O will continue on its new ship, Iona.

“We will use the anniversary to keep the love flowing for the world’s favourite sheep through our global communities, while we continue to develop fun, contemporary products for all the family,” Rob Goodchild, commercial director at Aardman, explains to LSB. “Shaun the Sheep has always been a big priority for Aardman’s creative teams and despite all the content that has been produced, there are still many ideas flowing through the studio.

“As a concept, it is grounded in nature and we are now actively looking to partner with licensees,

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brands and live events partners to encourage sustainability under Shaun the Sheep’s ‘One Farm’ banner, this year focusing on ‘fun with food’ as a theme.”

Alongside all of this, Aardman will also be kicking off activity in Q4 to mark Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers turning 30 in 2023.

Preschool perfection WildBrain will be celebrating 25 years of Teletubbies and 15 years of In the Night Garden this year, with a host of activity on the cards for both brands.

A year-long celebration is being created for Teletubbies which, explains Michael Riley, Above & below: A host chief brands officer, will “tie-in of activity will be marking the Teletubbies to our DNA of silliness, and In the Night Garden campy humour and diversity, anniversaries. which will bring joy across fashion, art and music for both parents and Gen Z alike.

Teletubbies will be the brand that turns the mundane into something delightfully unexpected and fun.”

The celebrations will kick off with experiential events in the US and UK around Teletubbies Day on 31 March. Activity will continue throughout the year including events and partnerships around Pride Month and New York Fashion Week.

WildBrain and WildBrain CPLG will also be working

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MILESTONES & ANNIVERSARIES

Many hoppy returns

Throughout 2022, Penguin Random House will be celebrating 120 years of Peter Rabbit – and it’s shaping up to be one busy year.

“The World of Peter Rabbit will come to life this year in a multitude of new and exciting ways,” says Izzy Richardson, global owned brands director at Penguin Random House Children’s. Activity kicks off in February with the Above: Experiential activations will be among the activity taking place around the 120th birthday of Peter Rabbit. launch of the Share the Love campaign, while in spring there will be a purpose-driven PR and digital campaign, working with new partners and ambassadors in the outdoors space.

Peter Rabbit’s role as children’s ambassador for the Queen’s Green Canopy will also see the character supporting celebratory, Jubilee tree planting initiatives during the summer. This will be complemented by a ‘Picnic for Peter’ drive, with themed birthday picnic parties supported by a celebrity chef ambassador who will help to inspire families to create some Peter Rabbit-themed foodie fun.

Licensing wise, Penguin Ventures has confirmed a programme of new experiential activations in the UK, offering families immersive events across the year. These include a Peter Rabbit Story Time Trial launching in March and touring libraries and gallery spaces across the country. A new deal with children’s party entertainer, Captain Fantastic, will see themed entertainment parties launching combining party games, magic and Peter’s trademark mischief. A new stage production – Happy Birthday Peter Rabbit – will also be launching at the World of Beatrix Potter attraction in the Lake District.

“We are always exploring opportunities to bring The World of Peter Rabbit to life, to reach family audiences in new and surprising ways,” comments Susan Bolsover, global licensing and consumer products director at Penguin Ventures.

“From immersive world-building experiences, brand collaborations, digital and social content, licensed products and publishing, the contemporary consumer is always at the heart of our offering.”

In addition, the company will also be commemorating ten years of The Snowman and The Snowdog, as well as 40 years of the original The Snowman animation, with more information to follow from The World of the Snowman.

with current partners and new collaborators on product ranges that will be available throughout the year.

Discussing the secret to the property’s longevity, Michael says: “As a brand that’s embedded in pop culture and inspires love and optimism, the Teletubbies represent diversity, silliness and big hugs throughout our marketing efforts to both Gen Z and parents. The Teletubbies characters are each uniquely creative with a diversity of colours, styles and playful personalities, and invite and encourage everyone to be themselves and celebrate kindness.”

In the Night Garden, meanwhile, will see UK toy partner, Golden Bear, celebrating its anniversary all year long with dedicated in-store signage and call outs on packaging. New product offerings will again be created with both existing and potential new licensees.

Michael continues: “The In the Night Garden brand continues to be an important part of children’s bedtime and naptime routine. The series remains a top UK show and has maintained its coveted CBeebies bedtime slot. The brand is also hugely popular on YouTube, where it’s managed by WildBrain Spark, and achieved an average of 15 million monthly views on the platform in 2021.”

E.T. takes flight at 40

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial forever altered the pop culture landscape when it was released in June 1982, with Steven Spielberg widely considered to be at his creative best.

“Interestingly, the original film was one of the first global blockbusters to leverage consumer product tie-ins and the new campaign will be Above: E.T. is an “outstanding example” of great content being timeless, says Universal’s Paul Bufton. replete with nostalgic references,” says Paul Bufton, vp EMEA at Universal Brand Development.

To mark 40 years of the classic, a curated mix of special screenings, new consumer products, digital and social media campaigns, as well as unique retail activations will aim to capture the magic and the timeless appeal of the movie.

UK licensees on board include Poetic Brands, Crib Star, Sleep No More, Fashion UK, Danilo, Pyramid, Posh Paws, RMS and Nobel. Across EMEA, Mini Rodini, Difuzed, LPP and TOMY have confirmed, while global partners include Mattel, Fisher-Price, Funko, Wow Stuff and Ravensburger.

“Great content is timeless and E.T. the Extra Terrestrial is an outstanding example of this,” Paul continues. “It is simply a masterpiece and through universal themes of trust, courage and friendship, it still invokes a strong connection and reaction from global audiences.

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MILESTONES & ANNIVERSARIES Below: Elle Woods has become a symbol of women’s empowerment and hope, says MGM.

40 years of Caring “Personally, I love working on a brand that I remember from my own childhood,” says Sophie Yates, licensing executive at Bulldog Licensing, when asked what it means to be working on a brand with such heritage as Care Bears. “There have been numerous looks and styles of the bears over the years, but the rainbow colours, main characters and their unique belly badges are still Above: New style guides have been instantly recognisable. created, along with an anniversary logo.

“The core messages and heart of the brand remains, and I think that is what has given it the longevity.”

Marking 40 years in 2022, Sophie promises that the anniversary will be a true celebration of the brand. Existing UK licensees are busy developing product for the anniversary and beyond, while Sophie explains that there are a number of special collaborations planned across fashion and food.

An anniversary logo has also been created for licensees to use on product launching this year, while new style guides will help to give products and exclusive feel.

“A new bear – Care-A-Lot – features in some of these guides,” says Sophie. “She’s the very first bear to exist in the magical Kingdom of Caring, and she possesses the most magic of all the Care Bears. Her belly badge depicts the Care-A-Lot Castle being illuminated with a beautiful rainbow – keep an eye out for products featuring her.”

As for further growth for the brand, as well as adult softlines, Sophie points out that Care Bears will see expansion in other categories including accessories, home, stationery and a substantial gifting range. Growth is also being predicted in the kids and baby markets, with Care Bears: Unlock the Magic already a favourite on Pop and Tiny Pop, while the series of 46 original Care Bears: Unlock the Music available on YouTube is bringing the brand straight to today’s children. On top of this, the Basic Fun range continues its growth in the toy aisle.

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Blonde bombshell

First released in 2001, Legally Blonde quickly became something of a pop culture phenomenon, leading to a series of films – Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde in 2003 and a 2009 direct to DVD spin off, Legally Blondes.

The first two movies grossed $266 million at the global box office. In addition, Legally Blonde: The Musical premiered in 2007 in San Francisco, opening in New York later that year. Legally Blonde 3 is planned for release next year, with Reese Witherspoon reprising her role as Elle Woods.

“The Legally Blonde Turns 21 licensing celebration is built around the movie’s key tenets empowerment, education, humour and pink fashion, of course,” says Robert Marick, evp global consumer products and experiences at MGM. “We have some exciting licensees on board, such as Olympia Le Tan, Park Agencies and Funko and will also be launching a movie-themed concert tour later this year to celebrate the fun music of this widely loved franchise.”

In addition, the first ever Legally Blonde mobile game will launch this year, combining puzzle and choice-based narrative mechanics with the empowering themes and positive messages of the films.

“There is also a brand new style guide featuring special artwork and anniversary logo branding for licensees to draw inspiration from during the milestone year,” adds Robert. “Elle Woods has become a symbol of women’s empowerment and hope. She is a pop culture and style icon and one of the most quotable movie characters of all time. Those values will always resonate with audiences, young and old, and provide a real feelgood factor.”

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MILESTONES & ANNIVERSARIES Below: Robocop continues to be seen as one of the best action films of all time.

Star gazing

“Your move, creep!”

Since the first film in 1987, the satirical sci-fi thriller Robocop - known for explosive action and smart-mouthed one-liners - has been celebrated by fans and critics.

Robocop’s success launched a massive franchise with three film sequels, a live-action and animated television series, video games, books, ‘inspired-by’ media campaigns and comics. The four films grossed over $350 million at the worldwide box office. It continues to have a global presence and reach with on-going programmes in the US, UK, Japan, China and the Nordics.

A lead property in MGM’s sci-fi portfolio, 35th anniversary plans for Robocop are expected to be fully revealed soon. “Expect to see an expansion of our highly successful licensing programme for the iconic property within the realms of gaming, merchandising and more,” says MGM’s Robert Marick.

A new style guide has been created for licensees to draw inspiration from, including artwork from pop cultural Japanese art styles, character art and a wide range of icons, patterns and logos. Robert continues: “MGM will be celebrating the 35th anniversary in a big way with 35+ licensees spanning apparel and accessories, toy and collectables, publishing and partworks, gift and novelty, plus interactive with partners in the US, Europe, Latin America and Asia.

“Robocop continues to be seen as one of the best action films of all time and it is supported by a global community of hardcore fans. From kick-starter campaigns to viral fan-made remakes and interpretive artwork, fans express their love of Robocop across the digital space and in pop culture.”

Hit television series Stargate SG-1 turns 25 this year, having launched three years after the film premiered and was the longest running sci-fi TV programme.

“Stargate SG-1 has been the first introduction for many fans into the Stargate universe,” says MGM’s Robert Marick. “Stargate has become a cultural phenomenon, capturing the imaginations of sci-fi lovers and inspiring legions of fans around the world. The Stargate Above: Stargate SG-1 is the franchise includes three TV first introduction for many series, three films, an animated fans into the universe. series and a web series. More than 56 million Stargate DVDs have been sold, as well. Living well beyond the screen Stargate has found its way into games, comic books, trading cards and more.”

Robert explains that MGM will be leaning into the gaming category for the property with recent launches including Stargate: Timekeepers and Astrokings x Stargate. In addition, the company also collaborated with Hero Collectors for an official line of Stargate ship collectables.

“Stargate and the beloved television series Stargate SG-1 are supported by incredible storytelling and compelling characters that new generations of fans enjoy engaging with. The themes of the franchise and TV series feel timeless and relevant to viewers no matter when they first become acquainted with the storyline,” Robert concludes.

Left: Robert Marick, evp global consumer products and experiences, MGM.

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INDUSTRY ISSUE: 2022 OPPORTUNITIES

Growth opportunity

Below: Necessity has driven the industry closer to the consumer, says Richard.

Below right: The opportunity for growth in 2022 is vast, believes Vickie.

LSB asks some key licensors and licensing agents for what they think will be some of the biggest opportunities for the UK industry in 2022.

Richard Pink, md, Pink Key Licensing

Vickie O’Malley, md, Rockpool Licensing

“I think necessity has driven the industry closer to the consumer. Although there will always be a large place for many years to come for bricks and mortar retailers, the consequences of the pandemic and people’s inability and unwillingness to mingle socially has accelerated the trend to online shopping (and its cousin, print on demand) much quicker than would otherwise have been the case and I don’t see that receding, in fact quite the reverse.

I think going forward all high street retailers will have a need to have an online offering alongside their main business. I also think that there will be opportunities for manufacturers to get closer to the consumer themselves, but it will need an increasing in-depth knowledge in this area to be able to cut through the ’noise’ to be successful at this.

The other big area I see becoming more and more important is the need to drive business in a sustainable way, the younger generation will not tolerate a company that cuts corners with its environmental credentials.”

“Being relentlessly optimistic (often in the face of significant evidence to the contrary), it’s easy to see opportunities for the licensing industry in 22.

There’s enormous pent-up demand for experiences of all kinds – of course this bodes well for licensed live events and attractions but also for many product categories. Take clothing; finally there’s the chance to be seen from more than the shoulders up!

There is also money burning a hole in many of the nation’s pockets.

It’s grossly unfair of course as we’ve seen these last two years further widen wealth inequality; our poorest families feeling the impact acutely and the most wealthy extending their fortunes exponentially.

When we look at average households though, savings have hit record highs during lockdown periods. This heady combination of the ability and the ‘itch’ to get spending, represents enormous bounce back potential. Won’t help with inflation of course but simplistically, this means the opportunity for growth in 2022 is vast.”

Helen Genia, head of UK licensing and hardlines EMEA, Mattel Consumer Products

“The future is bright as we head into 2022. We will be taking the challenges that we have faced in 2021 and turning them into opportunities for 2022. With many shippings arriving late - some even after Christmas - it gives us the opportunity for a fast start and to manage stock and plan for bigger Easter activations.

We have some fantastic partnerships across multiple categories and brands that will launch throughout 2022. We know our consumers are hungry to connect with freshness and newness with the brands they love.”

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Left: Consumers are hungry to connect with freshness and newness, says Helen.

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INDUSTRY ISSUE: 2022 OPPORTUNITIES

Gemma Witts, European md, Retail Monster

“Over the past six months, we have felt an increased sense of positive feeling and robust determination from brands, retailers and licensees alike, that 2022 will be a strong year. Above: Retailers have moved to a more diverse Retailers specifically seem more licensing portfolio for 2022, says Gemma. assertive in their approach to licensing, and there is an enthusiasm to not only range licensed products, but to really drive these products through innovative marketing campaigns and promotions.

We have also seen retailers move to a more diverse licensing portfolio for 2022, with many actively seeking new properties and looking to support these as much as established brands. Retailers have also made it clear that they are looking to support brands that are representative of their key focuses around diversity and inclusion, that are purpose driven and deliver against these key objectives for consumers.”

Dan Frugtniet, md and founder, Big Picture Licensing “I believe there are always opportunities in business that grow out of challenging times, and in licensing we all know that there are always new and Above: Dan believes there exciting ways to connect are some big opportunities brands with innovative product in the LBE space this year. and rights.

I feel that there are some big opportunities in the LBE space with shopping mall operators around the world, as they will need to attract consumers back to indoor venues. I believe we will see many new licensed IP across the retail, food and beverage, experiential and interactive sectors. Space will be created and vacated by retail groups reducing their

footprint and store count. This frees up the opportunity for shopping mall operators to think different and target all demographics using brands as the hook for consumers; this may be driven by VR or digital experiences or more traditional LBE. I also believe there is a strong opportunity to link physical product and digital rights together in a coherent retail proposition for consumers of all ages.

Lastly, I feel there will be a continued increase in the opportunity for brands to work on DTC models and sell direct to their fans via a multitude of platforms outside of traditional bricks and mortar.”

Ian Downes, md, Start Licensing “I think licensing has an opportunity to position itself in a proactive way over the next year or so, in the context of helping businesses big and small Licensing can add value in their development and in Above: to businesses and help create some cases their recovery. fresh impetus, says Ian. Licensing can add value to businesses and help create fresh impetus for companies in challenging times.

There are lots of positive case studies we can point to where licensing has been used successfully by companies. I think this approach may also bring new companies into the licensing fold and help develop licensing in a range of new categories. More specifically, I think it has been great to see how licensed properties are being used in the live and experiential sectors - I expect to see further developments in this category.”

Ian Wickham, director, Licensing Link Europe

“2022 will be a cracking year for major tournament sports licences, culminating in the FIFA World Cup. Who knows, in 2022 we may even be chanting ‘Football’s Coming Home… for Christmas’.

Encouragingly, there are a raft of new ‘lockdown-start ups’ that have researched and embraced the world of delivering truly sustainable products to market to a younger audience via their own online windows, as well as via more traditional retail. They are also keen to look at licences to assist them in growing their roll out strategies and offering points of difference. We are also seeing the advancement of the metaverse, the starting point being more global brands engaging with NFTs. What is really interesting to note though, is that consumers are wanting change. They’ve spent two years effectively dealing with the global pandemic and now want products of all categories that deliver something different - whether for their homes, to wear, to accessorise, etc. What they were into two years ago is very much now not necessarily the case. This delivers licensees and licensors opportunity to broaden the depth of their reach, create newness and hook in these consumers looking for that change. This will be a great opportunity for 2022.”

Above: Ian believes that consumers are wanting change, giving licensing a great opportunity for 2022.

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INDUSTRY ISSUE: 2022 OPPORTUNITIES Left: The huge demand through online channels will continue, says Talia.

Talia Tester, licensing manager, Carte Blanche

“While there’s no denying 2021 came with endless challenges, we all continued rolling with the punches and, moving into 2022, there are certainly glimmers of hope.

One of the ongoing areas of growth that we continue to benefit from is the huge demand we are seeing through the online channels, both personalised products through key print on demand partners as well as via ecommerce sites. We are also seeing an increased demand in occasions and more minor seasons, such as New Baby and Thank You Teacher, indicating that people want to focus on the good and celebrate as much as they can. After the past two years, it’s lovely being able to help spread joy to customers and fans in new ways, and with events (hopefully) starting to resume then long may it continue.”

Mathieu Galante, director of licensing EMEA, The Pokémon Company International

Denise Deane, owner, Edutainment Licensing

“At Pokémon we are excited by the licensing opportunities that the metaverse - digital worlds that interact with the real world - can offer licensees.

Creating products that coexist in reality and virtually is a hugely Above: Further plans around the metaverse exciting new area in the industry and are exciting for Mathieu. one that suits Pokémon perfectly.

We have already started making inroads into this new area with our recent collaborations with British designer Charli Cohen, where the fashion collection was available physically and digitally at Selfridges, and with Longchamp which created an avatar backpack accessory in Pokémon GO in addition to an exciting line of accessories available in its stores worldwide.”

“Undoubtedly 2021 was another strange year, but following the meetings and exchanges we had during BLE, we are feeling optimistic for the year ahead.

Our meetings for the NSPCC Above: Denise is were quality over quantity with feeling optimistic for the year ahead. licensees keen to explore the opportunity to work with a charity partner in a very different way. We believe that the NSPCC are the only UK-based charity to have a character-led traditional licensing programme.

This unique positioning, coupled with the very high levels of consumer awareness for both the NSPCC brand and the Buddy and Pantosaurus characters via their schools programmes, has sparked interest with potential partners in number of key categories.”

Louise French, svp business development and operations, Beanstalk

“We are craving a return to normality and with it a nostalgia for brands, experiences and products that bring us joy and that help us return to life’s simple pleasures. Lifestyle brands that celebrate a life less serious will benefit.

Time spent at home has resulted in a boom in demand for interiors products, and we see this continuing with a return to print, pattern and nostalgia. Brands with a strong design handwriting will be launching new licensed ranges to grow their reach and capitalise on this trend. In addition, the trend towards restaurant brands continuing to connect with consumers off-premise will gather further pace offering more opportunities for brands to integrate into our everyday lives.

Alongside this we have a growing social conscience that is resulting in consumers of all ages (but particularly the youth), demanding transparency and sustainability from the brands they engage with – whether through core or brand extensions.

The uncertainties of the past two years have prompted the growth of ‘Kiddults’ – adults looking to channel their inner child as a form of escapism. This offers unique opportunities for gaming brands to further engage with their growing audiences through new products and extended brand experiences to reward their considerable fan bases. We will also see more streaming services content securing a stronger foothold at retail, as well as an increase in metaverse brand activations as brands look to increase their digital reach.

Finally, we will see a return to fun and engaging bricks and mortar brand experiences as we look to engage all our senses in our purchasing.”

Left: Louise highlights the growing social conscience across all age groups.

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INDUSTRY ISSUE: 2022 OPPORTUNITIES

Sophie Kopaczynski, ceo, The Copyrights Group “In 2022, we should definitely seek for experiential opportunities in both physical and digital spaces.

Immersive experiences increase fans’ engagement with the Above: We should definaately seek brand. These branded experiences experiential result in strong brand affinity which opportunities in both physical and digital tends to accentuate ‘word of mouth’ spaces says Sophie. social media coverage and the desire for fans to purchase licensed products. These elements thus improve the brand's notoriety organically, which in turn makes it possible to use the concept as blueprint to develop other experiential partnerships thereafter.

Beyond offering a memorable piece of entertainment, experiential offerings allow brand owners to generate a virtuous circle, which is scalable and ensures the longevity of their brands.

And it works both in physical and digital: NFTs, metaverse and live streaming shows are and will be of huge potential for brands to bring to life new experiences, and new licensing opportunities.”

Clare Piggott, director, Larkshead Licensing

"There's certainly a ‘Mystic Meg’ element to any predictions for 2022 due to all the challenges we faced as an industry throughout 2021.

Being nimble will continue to be very important throughout 2022, but for classic brands this needs to be balanced with longer term strategic planning. So, 2022 may well prove to be a year of re-balancing shorter term needs with longer term gain.

Parents are increasingly focused on positive learning outcomes for their children, so I predict that 2022 will see a significant rise in popularity for brands such as Numberblocks and Alphablocks that can provide fun learning in a curated and relevant way.

The elevation of online retailers has seen the development of new players in this sector that present exciting opportunities for emerging brands particularly ones with a strong digital fan base."

Right: Clare believes that being nimble will continue to be very important throughout 2022.

Louise Simmonds, head of UK licensing, Acamar Films

“Our ability to be nimble and to engage with consumers in new and interesting ways will continue into 2022.

Online shopping was already growing year on year; 2020 saw that grow exponentially and 2021 proved that comfort with and trust for online shopping is here to stay. Looking into 2022 and beyond, this provides exciting opportunities as the online retail environment gives us more shelf space to explore new products and also allows us to connect directly with our consumers, in the same way we would on social media and other digital platforms.

Further down the line we will see more integration and innovation between digital technology, digital products and retail. This is across VR and AR and livestreaming, too. It is already happening quite a lot with AR software being used in apparel shopping, and while it is still early days, we are excited to see where that will lead.

Finally, the discussions regarding diversity and inclusion and those around sustainability are positively progressing across our industry and we are all prioritising the commitment to take steps to meet the expectations and needs of our consumers.”

Kate Schlomann, evp brand management and content marketing, Boat Rocker

Below There are so many channels through which to connect with consumers, says Kate.

“The success of ecommerce has opened up so many opportunities – anywhere, anytime – and its continued rise will bring even more. As direct to consumer opportunities and print on demand become more accessible and commonplace, they will open up the market for licensing to find ways to quickly get products for some categories to market, while also maintaining a more traditional licensing road to retail.

There are now so many channels through which to connect with consumers and build brand and product awareness, with influencers becoming increasingly important for this. It’s also great to see online communities independently interacting around our brands – for example, our mum communities have rallied across social media with Dino Ranch to help other parents find product both in the same country and across markets.”

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STATE OF THE NATION: NURSERY & PRESCHOOL

With a wave of toy and gift fairs planned for the next few months, the nursery and preschool category is set to enjoy a raft of new product launches and deals.

LSB takes a look at some of the latest news.

All the small things Right: Baby Shark’s Big Show Mix & Match Bath Swimmer is among the new ToyTopic spring launches.

ToyTopic ready for Toy Fair

Ambitious ToyTopic is planning a number of new launches in the preschool space at Toy Fair (25-27 January).

The company’s strategic partnership with WowWee is continuing to flourish, expanding product ranges and introducing new brands for 2022. Meeting the increasing demand for the popular Pinkfong Baby Shark brand, ToyTopic’s portfolio of plush, preschool, learning and bath toys includes the new Baby Shark’s Big Show Mix & Match Bath Swimmer, launching in the spring.

In addition, ToyTopic will be launching a new PAW Patrol toy range, while it will also be expanding its relationship with Hasbro, with new licensed toys based on a selection of the company’s preschool licences including Peppa Pig. Further high profile announcements are also due to be revealed at Toy Fair, where ToyTopic can be found on stand G94.

Learn with Peppa extension unveiled Hasbro has taken the wraps off Learn with Peppa, a major new brand extension to help promote early years learning.

Towards the end of 2022, the programme will kick off with Hasbro’s in-house developed learning app. The offering will expand in January 2023 with an extensive publishing programme with Ladybird in English speaking markets outside of North America, with the publisher managing rights for most other languages as well.

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Brave Bunnies hops in with new deals

Glowberry and its UK and Eire licensing agent and master agent for EMEA & APAC, Big Picture Licensing, have Above: The licensing confirmed a number of new deals programme for Brave for preschool brand, Brave Bunnies. Bunnies is steadily building.

These include Spin Master as global master toy licensee with products due to launch this year including play-sets, figures, plush, games and puzzles. Penguin Random House is on board as a multi-territory licensee, joining DeA Planeta Libri in the publishing category.

The first products to hit the shelves will be picture books, board books and little libraries which will launch Easter 2022 around the world.

In addition, PMI will create homeware, BTS/stationery and collectables for a worldwide launch, while Roy Lowe & Sons has signed in the UK for socks. In Australia and New Zealand – which is handled by Centa IP – Caprice is on board for apparel, footwear, bags and home décor, while Five Mile Press will create a range of books.

Learn with Peppa will also offer a new range of play experiences which will aim to deliver educational benefits.

The roll out will be supported with content and marketing plans.

“Themes of early years learning feature regularly in the show’s storylines, so the Learn with Peppa programme feels a natural expansion for the brand,” said Esra Cafer, svp global brand management at Hasbro. “We are excited to bring this initiative to life to help kids have fun and learn alongside their favourite animated characters.”

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STATE OF THE NATION: NURSERY & PRESCHOOL

Blade & Rose welcomes Peter Rabbit

Penguin Ventures has secured a new Peter Rabbit apparel collaboration with Blade & Rose.

The children’s clothing brand specialises in trend-setting leggings featuring stylish and quirky designs on the bottom, with matching accessories.

The Blade & Rose x Peter Rabbit collection features five distinct designs – Veg Patch, Playtime, Floral, Classic and Festive which all take inspiration from Beatrix Potter’s Lake District, where Blade & Rose is based. Each set includes a long-sleeved top, matching leggings and socks for babies and preschool children aged 0-4 years.

“Blade and Rose have done a fantastic job of bringing Peter Rabbit to life in their bold and colourful trademark style,” commented Jen Greenway, softlines category manager at Penguin Ventures.

Retail Monster adds Cry Babies Magic Tears IMC Toys has appointed Retail Monster as its licensing agent as it looks to significantly expand the popular Cry Above: Licensing for Cry Babies Magic Tears brand in the UK. Babies Magic Tears in the will begin with apparel The new partnership is testament UK and publishing. to the performance of the Cry Babies Magic Tears brand in the UK, which has seen strong growth and success over the last 18 months.

Licensing is a major part of IMC’s business in Spain and other territories worldwide. In less than two years the company has entered into agreements with more than 65 licensees in 40 regions, launching more than 500 licensed products across publishing, apparel, educational games, personal care and confectionery categories.

IMC Toys hopes its the deal with Retail Monster will translate into a similar success story for Cry Babies Magic Tears in the UK market, where the licensing roll-out will launch with apparel and publishing.

Above: The Blade & Rose collection features five distinct designs.

Love Monster in for Comic Relief

Preschool brand Love Monster (licensed by Boat Rocker) is teaming up with Comic Relief to help raise money for Red Nose Day 2022.

The collaboration will see the character feature on the Red Nose Day early years fundraising packs. Red Nose Day takes place on Friday 18 March, 2022.

Tying in with Love Monster’s love of DJing and partying with the residents of Fluffytown, the pack has a festival theme and contains everything young fundraisers need to giggle, raise money and help change lives. It explains the background to Red Nose Day, gives lots of ideas and tips for nursery fundraising activities and provides helpful information such as sponsorship forms and how to submit donations.

Comic Relief is also producing a range of bespoke mental health learning resources for nurseries.

Abovet: Love Monster will be on the decks in aid of Comic Relief this March.

Growth for Numberblocks

Learning Resources has partnered with Alphablocks to bring the Numberblocks characters from the screen into classrooms and homes across a wide range of toy categories.

The master licensing agreement was brokered by Larkshead Licensing.

Learning Resources and its sister company, hand2mind, will expand the popular Numberblocks content into a complete line of toys including plush, figures, play-sets, vehicles and more. The companies are also launching curriculum and other classroom items featuring the Numberblocks characters in 2022.

The Learning Resources and Alphablocks relationship started last year with the successful launch of two Numberblocks MathLink Cubes Activity Sets. Inspired by the show itself, the learning sets mirror the content of the actual episodes providing hands on experiences for children ages three and up.

Above: Learning Resources is ready to expand the popular Numberblocks brand.

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… IDEAS INTERNATIONAL

Launching a travel product just before a global pandemic wouldn’t be an ideal situation for anyone. But it was where Ideas International found itself at the beginning of 2020. Anyone who has met Isabella King, brand development manager at the company, though, will tell you it would take far more than that to bring her down. LSB finds out more about the journey so far.

Inset: The Little Tikes Traveller was officially launched at Spring Fair 2020 and has proved a hit.

Bright Ideas

I

sabella King has grown up in the world of licensing. Her father, Simon King, ran Custom Accessories Europe, and was behind the Jelly Bean car air fresheners, among many other household licensed products.

Isabella, brand development manager at Ideas International says: “My dad is in licensing, so osmosis has definitely given me the knowledge. I think my sister and I knew what FOB was at the age of seven.

“I’m so proud of my dad, he’s a really great guy, he’s humble Inset: Isabella as a toddler with her very and always very helpful. It’s so own Cosy Coupe. nice to be in the same industry to carry on his legacy.”

When Simon was in a meeting with MGA Entertainment he had no idea it would be the start of the father/daughter duo working together and creating Ideas International. Isabella explains: “Dad

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was looking to do some licensing with MGA, and made a joke with them asking where their ride-on case was, because I’d said it to him previously. It was said as a joke and it has transpired into this.

“We put the idea together originally through my dad’s company, but he sold that around three years ago to Energiser. So he spun it off into Ideas International, and MGA really went for it.”

At the time, Isabella was working in Switzerland. She continues: “I was really invested in the company, so I was nannying, I was doing my law degree and I was running the company. In the end, I had to give up the kids, which was so sad. I really wished I could do all of it, but I can’t.”

The Little Tikes Traveller – a ride-on case based on MGA Entertainment’s iconic Cosy Coupe design – was launched officially at Spring Fair 2020. Isabella

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… IDEAS INTERNATIONAL

tells LSB: “We were doing really quite well, and we’d had our first order for Smyths come through.

We got that in, and then Covid. It was awful.

“So in 2021, I had to rebrand the entire concept as a lifestyle Inset: Simon and Isabella King run product instead of travel.

Ideas International together. “He’s my So when we won the role model,” says Best Kids Lifestyle Range Isabella.

Award [at the Progressive Preschool Awards 2021], it was great.”

Isabella now works between Switzerland and London, which has been beneficial during Brexit.

She furthers: “After Brexit, it made it so much easier to work within Europe.

A lot of the buyers here are much more open to a call, because I have a Swiss phone number. I’ve found they’re much more proactive within the EU.” As well as the difficulties of Brexit, Ideas International has, like many, struggled with freight issues. Isabella explains: “It’s been really tough.

Containers have more than quadrupled in price. It used to be $2-3 per unit for our product, and it’s now $20. I spoke to my dad and said now is not the time to be pushing product, we need to sit back, market it for a relaunch and come back to it in spring 2022. If we sent them out now, we’d be making a loss.”

There’s been other bumps along the road, as Isabella outlines: “There were so many things that I didn’t expect to come up against. For example people had surplus stock from competitors, because obviously they weren’t selling, so the retailers didn’t have space.”

Isabella’s track record, however, shows that challenges don’t stop her. A near death experience while travelling in Australia gave her the clarity to forge ahead. She remembers: “I made myself a promise that if I came out of hospital, not only to make something of my life, but also to give back.

“So now, I’m here running this, and it’s a wonderful

opportunity to give back. I want to do scholarship programmes and give to charity. I came back and instead of just trying to be successful at absolutely everything I was trying to do, I took a step back, focused on myself and re-evaluated. And everything started to work. What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.”

Getting stronger is exactly what it looks like the future is for Ideas International. Currently with one product, there are many more plans to develop lines in different sectors and new licensors.

Isabella comments: “We’ve got quite a lot of projects going forward into next year. I think it’s going to be the start of something really great. There will definitely be more work with MGA. I think they are a brilliant company.

“We have the travel sector and we are definitely going to continue with this, but we also have a new product which we think will be a completely new section in licensing. I have everything ready to go in early January. Ideas International is not just one product in one industry, it’s not just travel or lifestyle, it’s Ideas International.

So we are going to expand on a much broader spectrum with our own products, which we can also licence out.”

Above centre: Ideas International has a number of orders from big retailers for 2022.

Inset: Ideas International won Best Kids Lifestyle Range at the Progressive Preschool Awards 2021

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Property Gus The Itsy-Bitsy Knight Licensing Agent Bulldog Licensing ltd Metal Box Factory, Unit 203-204, 30 Great Guildford Street, London SE1 0HS Tel: +44 (0) 20 8325 5455 Email: info@bulldog-licensing.com www.bulldog-licensing.com

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Greece, etc.).

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STATE OF THE NATION: GAMING

2022 kicks off with continued innovation between licensed brands and the gaming category – including two well-known names entering the metaverse and a new clothing collection inspired by a major video games franchise.

Inset: Jazwares Game Studio is the company’s ‘next evolution’ in innovation it says, while Squishmallows has launched into Roblox.

Games masters Jazwares makes gaming move

Jazwares has revealed the launch of its Squishmallows brand on Roblox – while also confirming Jazwares Game Studio.

Developed in-house, the Squishmallows game aims to connect fans in the social virtual world, giving them the chance to customise their own Squishmallows-themed home and play mini games.

With Roblox averaging over 47 million daily active users, Jazwares is leveraging its portfolio, design and development expertise, to create new immersive branded experiences on the Roblox platform.

In addition to the debut of the Squishmallows game, Jazwares has also officially announced its new game studio, further expanding play opportunities for kids within the metaverse.

Under the name Jazwares Game Studio, the company has assembled talent helmed by Roblox developers Kyle Hulse as operations director and Samuel Jordan as creative director, to help bring to life its vision.

“Jazwares Game Studio is our next evolution in innovation,” explained Laura Zebersky, president at Jazwares. “We’ve always had our fingers on the pulse of trends and as we have seen the Metaverse expand, we wanted to be able to create enriching play experiences where kids are spending more and more of their time.”

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Above: Kappa’s collection is composed of three ranges, Banda, Logo and R6.

Over the Rainbow for Kappa Italian sportswear brand, Kappa has teamed up with Ubisoft to launch a capsule collection for the Rainbow Six video games franchise.

The deal was brokered by Ubisoft’s licensing agency, IMG. The exclusive collection aims to blend contemporary fashion with the gaming world, while integrating the Rainbow Six Siege DNA. It is composed of three ranges – Banda, Logo and R6 – with products including hoodies, casual t-shirts, a jacket and a tracksuit, all in black, grey and blue tones taken from the Rainbow Six Siege universe.

Each product features recognisable details such as the combination of the Kappa Omini logo with the Rainbow Six logo, creating a ‘banda’ which runs along the sleeves of the jacket and the sides of the sweatpants.

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Right: The move into the metaverse is part of Teletubbies’ 25th anniversary celebrations.

STATE OF THE NATION: GAMING

Teletubbies checks into the metaverse

Digital entertainment and media platform, Azerion is welcoming the Teletubbies brand to the metaverse in celebration of its 25th anniversary this year.

Under a new partnership with WildBrain, the collaboration kicked off with an exclusive release of virtual products in the virtual worlds and social gaming platforms, Habbo and Hotel Hideaway. The first products available for purchase with virtual currency included Teletubbies-branded avatar onesies based on Dipsy, Tinky Winky, Laa-Laa and Po, as well as custom furniture such as the Tubby Toaster, Custard Machine and Noo-Noo the vacuum cleaner, for players to decorate their rooms in the game.

The brand partnership and launch is managed by Bare Tree Media, in collaboration with WildBrain CPLG. “The nostalgia that the Teletubbies evoke as true pop culture icons is a perfect fit for the game demographics and we look forward to further releases throughout 2022,” commented Robert Ferrari, president of Bare Tree Media.

Koyo grows Ubisoft partnership

Above: Hello Kitty and Friends have been introduced into the Toca Life World game.

Toca Boca welcomes Hello Kitty Sanrio has partnered with digital games studio, Toca Boca to enhance Hello Kitty’s presence online.

Hello Kitty and Friends have been introduced into the Toca Life World game, with the launch of a furniture pack for the Home Designer creator tool featuring home decoration items from Hello Kitty, Kuromi, Badtz-maru, Gudetama and My Melody.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Hello Kitty and Friends into our digital world, providing players with new tools for self-expression while enhancing Sanrio’s digital presence with a new generation of playful people,” commented Max Heirbaut, senior manager franchise development at Toca Boca.

Entertainment merchandise specialist Koyo and video game publisher Ubisoft have expanded their partnership to launch officially licensed Far Cry 6 collectables.

The new products will build on Koyo’s existing Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six offering, which encompasses a range of pin badge collectables based on the characters and items from the franchise.

The Far Cry 6 collection will include a logo keyring, logo pin badge, 3D Lion pin badge, animal pin badge sets, backpack pin badge sets, a patch set, steel mug and a 500ml water bottle.

“We’re thrilled to have expanded our longstanding partnership with Ubisoft to include Far Cry 6 collectables for the very first time,” said Helen Garlick, coo of Koyo.

Left: Koyo has expanded its partnership with Ubisoft on the new range.

Concept One adds Blizzard brands

Fashion and entertainment accessories specialist, Concept One has joined forces with Blizzard Entertainment to create products for Overwatch, Diablo IV and World of Warcraft.

The deal follows on from a successful partnership with Activision for Call of Duty.

The company will now develop and distribute cold weather accessories, headwear, bags, wallets, coin purses/pouches, lanyards, bandanas and wristlets across all channels of distribution from autumn/winter 2022.

“With the momentum around e-sports and gaming, which we don’t see slowing down, Concept One was eager to partner with Blizzard on their fantastic roster,” commented Lauren Dennis, licensing consultant at Concept One. “Concept One looks to build on the games’ past successes in addition to the new releases in 2022.”

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: PYRAMID INTERNATIONAL

Inset: Pyramid will be furthering bolstering its lines around brands including Harry Potter this year, entering into new categories.

2022 is a big year for Pyramid International, with the licensee celebrating its 30th anniversary and looking to reap the benefits of a major investment into print on demand (POD), state of the art machinery at its Leicester HQ and entry into new categories. LSB catches up with licensing director, Mordy Benaiah, to find out more.

30 not out

“2021 was in some ways a more challenging year than 2020,” begins Mordy Benaiah, licensing director of Pyramid International. “Hard to imagine that after all the Covid and Brexit disasters of 2020, but the complications in getting stock produced and shipped from China and rising costs have made it very difficult to operate.”

Thankfully, though, armed with some strong licences and products matched with Pyramid’s drive and energy, the company succeeded in making 2021 a good year overall.

Mordy continues: “The strength of Disney, Warner Bros.

Above: Mordy Benaiah, licensing director at Pyramid International.

Inset: Pyramid has made significant investment into its UK HQ.

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Nintendo and Netflix brands (especially Squid Game which came from nowhere) have all done their part in providing us great and stable licences to sell. The surprise mainly from a UK perspective is the rise in anime/manga which is surging in retail at present. Great streaming and genuine interest in these programmes have driven new sales growth in areas we didn’t expect.

“Pyramid products cover a wide range, but we have seen amazing sales across hydration and gifting that sell so well, combined with our other product areas.

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: PYRAMID INTERNATIONAL

One of our core strengths is our ability to mix and sell product cross category.”

With 2022 marking the licensee’s 30th anniversary, Pyramid is also eyeing further growth and continuing to make major investments in the business.

Mordy explains: “Like everyone facing rising costs and delays/issues from China, we wanted to have more independence. So, in December 2021, we opened a new POD facility in Leicester to give us more room to manufacture in-house. Pyramid has for many years been manufacturing wall art and printing mugs, but we decided to invest heavily on new state of the art machinery to expand what we can do. This investment brings into us new mug ovens from the US which are more efficient and higher quality. We will be making in-house more designs offering speed to retail and a lot of options.”

In addition, Pyramid has also pushed itself into the world of fashion, representing brands like Cobra Kai, Stranger Things, Squid Game, Pusheen and the Warner Bros. slate. “We can make in-house t-shirts, hoodies, tote bags and a lot more… add to that all the wall art areas and then bring drop ship and personalisation into the new world in which we all live and it gets very interesting,” Mordy adds. “The apparel areas are quite new to us, but we will also be launching a new range of tableware for Harry Potter, Friends, Star Wars and Marvel Comics this year. This is a totally new area for us and we are excited to push further into home areas.”

Looking at potential challenges for the year ahead, Covid will, of course, continue to throw curveballs, with Mordy admitting that it looks like this will continue for a while. He continues: “We really hope we can get back to major trade shows to conduct face to face business with our buyers and showcase the new products. The online world continues to evolve and we have a great team working on how to

Inset: Stranger Things 4 is one of the streaming properties that Mordy believes will be “amazing” for the industry this year.

grow that further and really get our products seen in the widest way possible.”

However, there is lots to look forward to and there is an overall feeling of optimism about the business and its plans.

“I am looking forward to finally seeing all the movies delayed from 2021 like Top Gun: Maverick, Jurassic World: Dominion and Minions come out and supported with products which have been delayed,” Mordy offers. “Streaming has made a huge impact so the likes of The Witcher, Stranger Things 4, The Mandalorian season three and Obi Wan are all going to be fantastic for the industry.

Pyramid will have some amazing content planned for all of these and more.

“What I would want more than anything in 2022 is some stability. It has been a rough two years for all, so getting back to a point of normality would be amazing for us. Otherwise, we are going to push ourselves hard again to grow and achieve our goals,” Mordy concludes.

30 years of Pyramid

2022 marks Pyramid’s 30th anniversary, with Mordy telling LSB that it’s hard to believe that the company has been around for three decades. “When I joined the business back in 2002, we were essentially a poster company with around 40 staff in a modest office/warehouse in Blaby, Leicester,” he says. “At that time, we only had a handful of licences, mainly based around music and television. I came into Pyramid with a licensing background, having worked for Scandecor and Starline (now Trends International), bringing with me the entertainment knowledge and so, started to build a solid licensing platform for the business. We then began to push ourselves and our creativity into more products. Our ceo Ally Mayer was always a great thinker and had a vision to expand the business into a global market.”

Pyramid America (based in New York) opened first, with the company then buying into Impact Posters in Australia. As Mordy elaborated, from there Pyramid opened offices in Germany, France and Hong Kong building to the picture today with combined staff of over 200 worldwide with creative teams in the UK, Germany and the US. Still very much full of gumption, Mordy added: “Into 2022 we will still be looking to expand further into the CEE, LATAM and Japan.” The top of the Pyramid has yet to be reached!

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PRODUCTS OF CHANGE

The next chapter With the New Year comes not only a new chapter for the Products of Change story, but a new adventure for the whole industry, one brimming with potential to continue to drive real change. The POC team puts pen to paper to lay out the plot of this year’s narrative.

Above: The Products of Change team, Rob Hutchins and Helena Mansell-Stopher.

Below: RECOUP is a leader in the continued developments of plastics recycling and resource management.

L

ike a chapter yet to be written, the New Year stands before us; blank pages brim full with potential, intrigue, and the chance for yet more adventure. The old saying suggests that we write the book we would like to read, and that is exactly what Products of Change has been doing these past few months, setting out the plot of its next story.

As the platform comes into its second year, and the Products of Change membership into its third, we begin to see the narrative for the coming year take shape; and we can reveal that this year, it is most certainly all about ACTION.

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Over the last year, our members have been working together to build on our guidelines on gaining parity on our legal language and requirements as an industry. We’re very excited to tell you that this report will be complete by the end of January, while Phase Two is already underway.

Meanwhile, our sustainable packaging guidelines are nearing completion each day, and will be followed by a series of webinars run by packaging experts spanning governing bodies, retailers, and those in between in March this year.

As well as fuelling our own work streams across the likes of toys, fashion, plastics, packaging, sports, gaming, legal, net zero, publishing and retail – which will all continue through 2022 – we have also been extending our partnerships outside of the industry. Products of Change is proudly working extremely closely with RECOUP, leaders in the continued developments of plastics recycling and resource management, to keep all of our members informed on all legislative changes globally.

RECOUP will also be attending our packaging webinar series in March, by which time they will have their updated guidelines from the UK government.

Products of Change is also an affiliate member of WRAP, an organisation that works closely with governments, businesses, and communities to deliver practical solutions to improve resource efficiency around the world

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PRODUCTS OF CHANGE

Below left: POC has been asked to be an advisor for the UN’s Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network.

Below: POC is an affiliate member of WRAP. Below centre: The first ever in-person Sustainability in Licensing Conference will take place at the Royal Geographical Society on 22 June.

across plastics, food, and textiles. We are working very closely with the team to accelerate their work in fashion across their Textiles 2030 agenda.

What with fashion being the largest licensed category globally for our industry, working closely with organisations within the fashion space provides a great opportunity for us all to drive real change.

It’s why we are also extremely proud to announce that Products of Change has been asked to be an advisor on the committee of the United Nations Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network – and we have some very exciting plans on that front that we will announce in the coming weeks.

The New Year also brings with it a new look Sustainability in Licensing Conference as we prepare to deliver our first inperson SILC live at the Royal Geographical Society on 22 June. We will be dual-casting the event for all international partners that cannot physically be there, as well as making all content available on-demand. We must say, we have a fantastic line-up of experts ready to wow us with their future forecasting and technologies, and we are looking forward to announcing more over the coming weeks.

As well as being a year of action (oh, and our POC Advisors are also now extremely busy working with licensors and licensees to help set their sustainability goals for the year and beyond), 2022 will also be a year of expansion. In fact, we will be hosting our first Products of Change meeting in Australia and New Zealand in February, during which Coles Retail and Piping Hot (the Australian sustainable fashion brand) will showcase their journey in sustainability

to date. More information will be released at the end of this month. On top of that, four new territory ambassadors are due to join the platform in March this year, further extending our reach across Europe.

Saving one of our best announcements until last (who are we kidding, we love all of our announcements), we will be firing up our educational track once again this year, with not only our first Sustainability 101 workshop slated for 9 March this year, but the launch of our digital educational certification series at the end of March, too. We are very much looking forward to welcoming the industry to complete Module One when it launches very soon.

Trade shows, of course, are back on the map and the full Products of Change team will be out and about, walking the aisles and singing from the sustainability song sheet. Please do get in touch to meet up, as we would love to share your sustainable journey and inspire everyone to help transform the industry together.

The potential for us all to write an entire new book on the future of this business is incredibly exciting, so here’s to a 2022 filled with more action, more adventure, new partnerships and plenty of working together to tell the best story that we all can.

To find out more about Products of Change – and how your company can get involved – check out www.productsofchange.com. You can also contact Helena Mansell-Stopher (helena@productsofchange.com) or Rob Hutchins (rob@productsofchange.com) directly for further details.

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STATE OF THE NATION: SUSTAINABILITY

Going green Inset: Six new partners have joined the Animal Planet UK licensing programme.

Bottom: 64% of parents wish they had more opportunities to recycle their kids’ toys, according to a new survey.

Below: The Green Planet Badge episode tied in with the debut of the new natural history series.

With sustainability continuing to be a watchword in 2022, LSB takes a look at some of the latest moves in the licensing industry. greeting cards and wrap, while Assured Products will launch a range of pet hygiene products.

Benross is on board for projectors, torches and lighting, plus a pet grooming range including hair dryers for pets and grooming tables.

Animal Planet continues mission Animal Planet – which is part of the Discovery family of brands – is continuing with its mission to ‘engage and excite’ audiences who are passionate about wildlife and protecting wild spaces, welcoming a number of new partners to its UK licensing programme.

IPR Licensing has expanded the roster with six new partners. These include Poetic Brands for sustainable apparel product ranges across adults, kids and baby, with exclusive retail collections in development for 2022. This will be complemented with hosiery from Roy Lowe & Sons.

Meanwhile, Crackerjack will launch a natural beauty, bath and gift product line. A new deal with Danilo includes 100% recycled and recyclable

Hey Duggee goes Green

Sir David Attenborough has narrated a special episode of Hey Duggee to share the wonder of plants and The Green Planet and helping Duggee and The Squirrels earn their Green Planet badges, while sharing the joys of nature with children across the country.

The episode sees the show’s regular narrator, Alexander Armstrong joined by Sir David Attenborough who helps Duggee and Squirrels to understand that plants, including trees, are some of the most important living things on Earth.

Called The Green Planet Badge, the episode made its debut on the Hey Duggee YouTube channel on the same day that the landmark fivepart natural history series The Green Planet launched on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Mattel launches #TaptoRebox

Mattel has launched a new extension of its PlayBack toy take back scheme under the banner #TaptoRebox - a social campaign designed to encourage parents to declutter, donate and recycle their children’s preloved toys this year with tips and hints from the professionals.

The new scheme has been launched in response to a survey of 2,000 British parents commissioned by Mattel over the Christmas period, which found that on average, UK children have received 10 new toys this festive season, with over half of parents worrying what will happen to their old ones.

The same survey discovered that 64% of parents wish they had more opportunities to recycle their kids’ toys, while three quarters of British parents were geared up at the end of last year, to declutter their children’s bedrooms during the Christmas break.

In order to help those parents declutter and live more sustainably, Mattel has launched its #TaptoRebox campaign with Mattel PlayBack – its toy take back scheme for Barbie, Matchbox and MEGA brands that will now enable families to extend the life of their Mattel toys once they are finished playing with them. The programme is designed to recover and reuse materials from old Mattel toys to live a new life while supporting the company’s goal to achieve 100% recycled, recyclable or bio-based plastic materials across all products and packaging by 2030.

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INTERNATIONAL FEEDBACK

From Belgium to the US, LSB chats to a selection of licensors and agents based outside of the UK to find out their takeaways from 2021, what they see as the biggest opportunities and challenges for licensing moving through 2022, their aims and what word they would use to describe business in both the year just gone and the new one just beginning.

Below left: 2021 was better than expected, says Valentin.

Below: Ilana says that diversification remains a key initiative for Jewel.

News of the world US: Ilana Wilensky, president, Jewel Brand & Licensing

Spain: Valentin Ortiz, ceo, Stor “2021 was better than expected – based on the current business environment, we would not imagine to have the successful year that we did.

Our aims for 2022 are to keep the expected growth and focus on the new product development, which is launching in April and October on home products and kids lines. We see a big opportunity in home tableware for adults, including Christmas and seasonal options.

Summing up 2021, I would say that businesses are never failing to surprise us and I hope that 2022 is more stable sourcing wise.”

“2021 was a very good year for Jewel, especially considering the ongoing uncertainty in the world.

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Jewel team, our clients and licensees, we’re experiencing significant growth. We hired two new licensing managers and have added an associate creative director starting January. We re-launched the Jewel website to better reflect the company we are today and where we’re heading.

Diversification remains a key initiative for Jewel. Our goal is to have a diverse portfolio of clients, a range of licensees in many different product categories, distribution at all retail levels around the globe and various services we can offer to licensors, licensees and retailers.

2021 was ‘perseverance’ and I hope 2022 will be ‘prosperity’.”

France: Capucine Humblot, head of licensing and merchandising, Xilam Animation

“2021 was better than expected for us given the challenges everyone was facing. It was a hugely important and successful year for our new original property, Oggy Oggy – a preschool spin-off to our Oggy and the Cockroaches franchise. The CGI series launched globally on Netflix in August and we secured Simba Dickie Group as the master global toy partner for the brand.

We also brought several licensing agents on board for the brand in key markets.

We’ll be working on expanding the licensing offering for Oggy Oggy with the aim of securing new partnerships for key categories, such as games, publishing, fashion, gifting and more. Retail activations will also be a key focus for this year.

For 2021, my word would be ‘patience’ – we all faced another year of many different challenges, but by being patient with one another, we were able to get through it together. For 2022, I hope the word ‘enthusiasm’ will encapsulate the year as we once again come together to positively embrace new challenges, projects and opportunities, and to hopefully build a brighter future for us all.”

Left: Xilam is expanding the licensing efforts for Oggy Oggy this year, says Capucine.

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INTERNATIONAL FEEDBACK

Germany: Marco Hüsges, ceo/founder, the emoji company

“2021 was a solid year for our company. Of course, Covid does have an impact on both revenue and earnings, but the business has been better than expected and stable throughout many categories and offered new growth opportunities, in particular in the digital field.

We launched our own digital first series – emojtown - on YouTube and introduced many cool new characters based on the original IP. The first six months already constituted a tremendous success; we have surpassed more than 260k subscribers and reached about 75 million views. So next to our core emoji brand business we are building - together with Wildbrain CPLG - the consumer products programme for this new IP, which is very exciting and offers brand new opportunities in different target groups and markets.

We will also be operating various DTR and loyalty programmes with leading European retailer and grocery chains across EMEA, as well as international QSR programmes and continuing our expansion in China.

Right: the emoji company ‘Hibernation’ would be a good way of putting 2021 into one word, launched new digital-first series emojitown on YouTube in 2021. while ‘projectable’ is what I would like us all to say again in 2022.”

Belgium: Arno-Laurent Dieteren, global license director, Erve Europe “2021 was very good for our business. We have been able to remain flexible and adapted to quick changing circumstances. As ERVE Group, we are at an all-time high turnover level and we are financially very solid and prepared for our long-term goals. This brought us in the position to invest in 2021 in the new IP successes for our gaming, brands and licence departments. We served customers in 27 countries in Europe, in Russia and in UK and Ireland.

A big part of the ERVE’s success comes from controlling the full supply chain. With our own colleagues in the production countries, our customers feel confident and assured to collaborate with us. It’s a matter of proven trust and that makes us proud.

An opportunity is our ever growing gaming

portfolio of licences. Existing and new partners are asking us to be their gaming supplier and we are thrilled to share our in-house knowledge and create great creative new collections with 21 designers around the world. Having eight offices in three continents allows us to be close to the local markets and better understand the needs of our partners.

The global pandemic continues and the future cannot be predicted with confidence at this time.

The disruption in the supply chain has a substantial effect on the logistic costs and cost of raw materials, to distribute and produce our goods. In combination with a global inflation, this is affecting our and our partners’ business. We are curious to see how consumer behaviour will be impacted by higher in-store prices. At the same time, we feel stable, confident and financially prepared for it.”

Above: Erve’s ever growing portfolio of gaming licences is a great opportunity, says Arno.

Canada: Jonathan Abraham, vp sales and business development, Guru Studio

“2021 was a year for finding creative solutions to difficult problems. The world was faced with plenty of challenges with regards to logistics and supply, but Guru was able to navigate through and deliver on our initiatives.

We launched the True and the Rainbow Kingdom toy line with our master toy partner United Smile in Q4 during the height of the shipping challenges out of China. The line features a collection of figures, play-sets, vehicles, plush Above: The toy line for Pikwik and musical dolls based on the series, and we’re excited to see it on shelves. Pack is due to launch this year, There is a lot to be excited about in 2022. Pikwik Pack’s toy line will launch says Jonathan. this year with our partner Playmates Toys, along with a line of books from Scholastic based on the series. We have multiple strong licensees newly on board for True and the Rainbow Kingdom that are gearing up for product launches. We will also be announcing some new IP this year that we are very excited about.

Like everyone else in the licensing industry, challenges will continue with supply and shipping.

Those challenges do provide plenty of new opportunities to look for product production partners outside of China which a lot of our partners are doing. The pandemic caused a lot of retailers to take fewer risks on new properties.

‘Action’ is my word from 2021 and ‘innovation’ for 2022.”

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FOR LICENSING OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT: EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA:

US, CANADA & LATIN AMERICA:

REST OF THE WORLD:

Jason Rice

Alex Gomez

Yoichi Kawamura

Email: jason.rice@sega.co.uk

Email: alex.gomez@segaamerica.com

Email: yo_kawamura@home.segasammy.co.jp

Tel: +44 (0) 208 996 4568

Tel: +1 (747) 400 2410, ext.203

Tel: +81 3 6864 2457

www.SEGA.co.uk

/SEGA

@SEGA

/SEGA

/SEGAEurope ©SEGA

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INTERNATIONAL FEEDBACK

US: Julian Zag, evp global operations and head of consumer products, ZAG

“Despite the pandemic, the past two years have been incredible for ZAG. In fact, as of last year, we’ve hit over US$1 billion in retail sales for Miraculous - Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir worldwide. We also expanded our content offerings with the launch of Ghostforce, an original gender-neutral series for 6-10 year olds.

We are so excited about our Miraculous US$100 million+ animated feature to debut in 2022 with some of the world’s best known companies on board as cross-promotional partners. We’re also currently in production on season five of the series, plus we plan on announcing a new series under our ZAG Heroez banner, an umbrella brand franchise that brings together the superheroes from ZAG’s animated properties.

For Ghostforce, we closed agreements with several major partners, with toys coming from ZAG Lab and Playmates Toys, plus yet to be announced partners across publishing, apparel and costumes among others. The first products will debut in 2022.

Due to Covid, retail saw many challenges over the past couple of years, but we are fortunate to not have been affected. We increased our business on e-commerce, which is why we established the new ZAG Global E-Commerce division which Above: ZAG has hit manages on a day-to-day basis all of our e-commerce efforts alongside our major over US$1 billion in partners, licensees, and retailers, plus reinforced and grew our team across the globe. retail sales for Miraculous - Tales We see more growth ahead as direct to consumer retail continues to accelerate of Ladybug & Cat with kids due to its strong resonance with the current generation who feel Noir worldwide, empowered in their decision making, who crave instant gratification and expect says Julian. anything, anytime, anywhere.”

Spain: Guillem Rey, md, Caravanserai

Italy: Maurizio Distefano, president and owner, MDL Licensing

“We are proud to say that, even with the tough circumstances we have all passed, 2021 was a good year where results have been positive. It was, in fact, better than expected. We assume that the kind of properties we manage is at the essence of our results because they are all long life and internationally Above: Guillem believes that retail needs to acknowledge recognised properties, and the changes that consumers timings are not so relevant as have gone through. it may happen to others.

In 2022, we first want to consolidate our results and keep teaming up with our partners to accommodate our efforts to what the market is now demanding. We have also incorporated new brands into our portfolio and we will start developing the licensing programmes hopefully with completely new product categories.

A key challenge is that retail needs to realise that the consumer is not a person with a passive attitude anymore, but an active one, and that retailers may not be needed any more for certain consumers or product categories. The consumer decides what to buy, where and when, no matter the offers.”

“We felt that 2021 went well – in fact it ended up much better than we had expected at the beginning of the year. As for the drivers of this welcome outcome, I believe the appetite of consumers, retailers and licensees to catch up on business opportunities lost during 2020 has played a big role. But we have also made our own good fortune. As an agency, we have developed new IP representations targeted at a wide range of age groups. This undoubtedly helped to fuel our success in the market during 2021.

Our goal is to carry on the good work done during 2021 – continuing to provide a top-class service to both licensors and licensees and bringing a steady stream Above: MDL is looking to carry on its good work from of new business opportunities last year, says Maurizio. to our loyal customers.

A major concern, I believe, is reduced shelf space dedicated to toys by many hypermarkets and retailers. Another big worry is the ongoing challenge faced by the apparel business; this has not yet recovered from the downturn in 2020 due to Covid-19. The word ‘resilience’ would sum up 2021 and ‘innovation’ for 2022.”

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Celebrating Sonic’s 30th Anniversary in 2021 Over $1 Billion in Franchise Revenue to Date #1 Video Game Movie of All Time* Over 1.4 Billion Games Sold and Downloaded Games, Movies, Animation, Mobile, Partnerships and more in 2022!

FOR LICENSING OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT: EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA:

US, CANADA & LATIN AMERICA:

REST OF THE WORLD:

Jason Rice Email: jason.rice@sega.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 208 996 4568

Alex Gomez Email: alex.gomez@segaamerica.com Tel: +1 (747) 400 2410, ext.203

Yoichi Kawamura Email: yo_kawamura@home.segasammy.co.jp Tel: +81 3-6864-2457

www.sonicthehedgehog.com/uk

@Sonic

@sonic_hedgehog

/sonicthehedgehog

/sonic

www.SEGAShop.co.uk ©SEGA

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INTERNATIONAL FEEDBACK

UAE: Kamel Weiss, strategic business development director, Spacetoon

Right: Spacetoon

“2021 was quite a year and a great comeback from 2020. We reached a new is introducing The audience and fulfilled the increasing need for more localised content. We Smurfs to MENA in 2022, says maintained steady growth in our digital media platforms and specifically our Kamel.

VoD service, Spacetoon Go. The audience is increasingly demanding the content on VoD more than any other media platform, so we are responding to their needs by bringing more diverse shows.

Also, we were so happy to be back to the movie theatres again after the pandemic. Our movie distribution company, Spacetoon Pictures, has successfully surpassed all the expectations after the release of our flagship IP, Detective Conan 24. We were also able to introduce our first original production, Moshaya Family Animation, while our toy company – ToyPro – has made an impressive performance after launching two flagship original brands.

We are extremely excited about 2022. We are planning to embark on new and exciting adventures with our audience. We are bringing some big titles to the region – such as The Smurfs, Paddington and Power Rangers – and are continuing to invest more in original productions and partnering with top family influencers in the region to introduce new animated shows.

Obviously, we’re aiming for digital expansion whether pushing our streaming services or introducing new digital products and services such as NFT licensing and other licensing models in the digital space. ‘Interesting’ is my word for 2021, while ‘growth’ is my word for 2022.”

Canada: Marilyn Kynaston, head of sales and distribution, Western Europe, Sinking Ship Entertainment “We found 2021 challenging, but better than we had hoped. The LBE arm of our business was delayed earlier in the year due to institutions being closed during Covid. However once locations like museums in the US opened up, we were able to launch our successful Dino Dana experience at institutions like the Museum of Science and Discovery in Fort Lauderdale and several other Above: Marilyn is looking forward locations. This then drove our to working with new partners in book sales (Mango Publishing) various territories this year. and toy sales (Safari) for Dino Dana brand, and is continuing to grow in 2022.

In 2022 we are focusing on continuing to expand our internal brands like Odd Squad and Dino Dana, as well as newer external brands like Alma’s Way. We are looking to add new categories to both the former brands, as well as work with more international licensing agencies.

We’re looking forward to working with new partners in various territories including Fryday Brands in the UK, Exim in Mexico and WP Brands in Australia. We are also turning an eye to China to see how we can expand into that territory, with Odd Squad now with Tencent there. My word for 2021 is ‘challenging’ and for 2022, ‘renewal’.”

US: Robert Marick, evp global consumer products and experiences, MGM

“2022 is all about innovation. In order to thrive, we need to think outside the box with everything we do. Whether it’s creating new ways to sell and market our properties virtually; expanding into new ecommerce distribution platforms; introducing our IP using new technology such as AR and VR; or leaning into new product Above: Robert says categories that take our brands into that there has never the metaverse. been a better time to It’s an exciting time to be in the be working with MGM. licensing business and finding innovative ways to reimagine what it means to licence IP in the years ahead.

I am very optimistic for the year ahead. MGM’s new television and film divisions are running on all cylinders.

We continue to invest in our core franchises with new content coming out for Vikings with the Vikings: Valhalla series, Creed 3 and the new Addams Family series – Wednesday. 2022 is also about MGM’s rich film catalogue. Whether it’s expanding our licensing programme to include new horror, sci-fi or comedy titles or celebrating some important anniversaries such as Legally Blonde is turning 21, Robocop’s 35th or Carrie’s 40th. There has never been a better time to be working with MGM as we have never had as many licensing opportunities as we do now.

That being said, our industry continues to face challenges stemming from the pandemic, including material shortages and product distribution issues. As a result, many licensees must be more selective of what licences they take-on and the breadth and depth of their product plans are often scaled back. My word for 2021 is ‘pivot’ and for 2022 it is ‘optimism’.”

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INTERNATIONAL FEEDBACK

US: Shannon Spisak, vp of marketing, Dr. Seuss Enterprises

“Throughout 2020 and 2021, Dr. Seuss Enterprises continued to see enthusiasm for the iconic properties within our portfolio despite the challenging environment of the pandemic. There seemed to be a renewed connection with nostalgia, and we were there to help.

Our business has seen steady and sustained growth as a result. From Oh, Above: DSE has seen The Places You’ll Go, which ‘steady and sustained’ continues to be an growth, says Shannon. inspirational title especially around graduation time to How The Grinch Stole Christmas, which had a banner year in 2021, both domestically and internationally with many fans embracing the character and high demand for licensing. We also celebrated the 50th anniversary of The Lorax with a licensing programme that focused on sustainability and also partnered with

THE VIEW FROM PLUS LICENS Eva Karlsson, commercial director (Sweden) “While 2020 was all about adapting and managing the changing conditions, 2021 ended even better than expected much due to strong on-going programmes with sales reaching beyond the Nordics and Europe, and by securing some new very promising properties for the Nordics and CEE. Additionally, we’ve signed up new partners in Europe from where we have built a solid base to expand our business both territory wise, as well as category wise coming into 2022.

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The Old Vic in London for a streamed performance of The Lorax Musical in April.

As we continue to see the universal appeal of Dr. Seuss expand and how excited fans are, we are looking to create partnerships with companies that meet fans where they are.

In addition to aligning with best-in-class apparel, giftware, and other merchandising partners, we’re also exploring cutting edge platforms. For example, we are partnering with Dapper Labs to bring the first Dr. Seuss NFT experience to fans throughout 2022. Also, seeing the surge in popularity of audio during the pandemic, including podcasts and audiobooks, we recently signed a deal with Tonies to bring Dr. Seuss titles to the platform. We are also hard at work developing several film projects with Warner Bros. Animation, as well as expanding programmes with our key stage and theme park production partners.”

Left: How The Grinch Stole Christmas had a banner year in 2021, domestically and internationally.

Biggest opportunities locally are Hello Kitty, Bluey, and Dino Ranch for toys and softlines. On a European level we have UCLA, Paul Frank and the University of Cambridge which all have a lot of categories still to be covered. The biggest challenges are the continued insecurity around Covid and the lockdowns, as well as the economic challenges we see coming, especially in some of our territories. Additionally, the various effects of energy and transport costs.

The word for 2021 would be ‘stamina’ while for 2022 ‘optimism’.”

Left: Hello Kitty is a big opportunity locally, says Eva.

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INTERNATIONAL FEEDBACK

Malgosia Wojtaszek, country manager (Poland)

Judit Pomahazy, general manager (CEE)

“2021 was a challenging year for new businesses, as partners were aiming to limit the start of new and unknown business partnerships. For the properties that we at Plus Licens represent, the year was still actually quite good, as the need for buying products is constant.

In 2022, we are mainly aiming at filling out the product gaps for existing, established properties. Financially, inflation in some markets poses a potential problem. Continued restrictions are, of course, an obstacle that we’re continuously learning to work around.

My word for 2021 is ‘messy’ while for 2022 (hopefully) ‘positive’.”

“In one word, business in 2021 was challenging. There was a promising restart after the pandemic in Q2/Q3, but the light at the end of the tunnel was dimmed in Q4 thanks to Omicron-related concerns. We’re aiming for a return to some form of normality, starting from Q2 2022.

The merger of physical and digital lifestyles that is likely to stay with us in the long-term is a huge opportunity for multiple product categories. E-commerce will continue to grow with double digit numbers on our markets, but licensees need to adapt to be able to profit from it. High inflation, shipping disturbances and unpredictable pandemic regulations make planning ahead difficult for many partners. My word for 2022 is ‘promising’.”

THE VIEW FROM DIFUZED For fashion and lifestyle company, Difuzed – which is based in the Netherlands – 2021 was another good year and it has even more ambitious plans in 2022.

While the company will continue its work in the gaming and entertainment sectors, Difuzed is making particularly strong statements in three categories – anime, sustainability and its acquisition of global rights to lifestyle brand, Hard Rock Café.

“This year, we will continue to innovate with exciting anime collections,” comments Jeremy Orris, director of licensing at Difuzed. “These focus on the massive pan-European fan-base, featuring brands like Naruto Shippuden, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Hunter x Hunter and My Hero Academia and introducing new brands like The World Ends with You. What started as a small trend a few years ago is turning into an evergreen tidal wave which we are here to support with our key sector licensor partners Mediatoon, Crunchy Roll and Funimation.”

Meanwhile, the company recently acquired the apparel and accessory categories for EMEA, plus global retail rights to lifestyle brand, Hard Rock Café. A new set of style guides have been created, with Difuzed confident it can grab the attention of retailers.

In addition to the global projects, Difuzed is also promoting sustainability through its partnership with Australian fashion brand Piping Hot. The collaboration will see the introduction of a collection that will be branded ‘Piping Hot by Difuzed’.

“We are extremely excited to partner with a global sustainability powerhouse like Piping Hot, as we witness sustainability moving from being a trend to being a lifestyle,” says creative director, Sara Allwood. “Our partners and brands are increasingly becoming more conscious about sustainability, so it’s the right time for us as a company to move forward with our sustainability plans. We’ll prioritise using recycled materials within our core ranges as we try to save the planet one Right: Sara says that it is the right time for Difuzed t-shirt at a time.” to move forward with its sustainability plans.

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STATE OF THE NATION: BRANDS

Brands of gold

Inset: Rocket will look to grow the ESA CP programme across a range of categories.

Below: Camilla has launched a limited edition V&A capsule collection.

V&A’s strong start to 2022 The V&A has begun the New Year with a number of new deals. First up, Australian-based boutique fashion brand, Camilla – which creates high-end ready to wear clothing and accessories – has launched a limited edition capsule collection. The exclusive capsule collection is made up of over 40 styles across three unique prints – Brick Lane Beauty, From The Archives and London Looms.

Meanwhile, Sofas & Stuff’s love of fine art, textiles and interiors has led to the creation of an exclusive new collection of fabrics and furniture. The inspiration for the V&A Brompton Collection imagery came from a wealth of textile patterns and botanical illustrations from the 16th to the 19th centuries.

Finally, Richard Brendon has created a range of bone china, shining a light on the golden era of Georgian ceramics.

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As 2022 begins, the brand, lifestyle and heritage licensing sector will be looking for another bumper year of activity, continuing the positive momentum from a successful past 12 months. LSB takes a look at some of the latest activity.

Rocket takes off with ESA

Rocket Licensing is ready to launch a consumer products programme for the European Space Agency worldwide.

Established in 1975, ESA is the only organisation in the world which deals with every aspect of space activity. Over the next few years, ESA will search for signs of life on Mars, explore oceans on Jupiter’s moons, orbit Mercury and search for Earth-like planets around other stars. It will also welcome a new generation of astronauts and start the parastronaut project to help make space more accessible.

Rocket Licensing will be talking to potential licensees across a range of categories about the brand including apparel, toys and games, homewares, gifting and publishing, among others.

LMI on track

After a successful BLE, LMI ended 2021 with the news from BSA Company that the iconic British motorcycle brand has launched an all-new 650cc modern classic petrol engine motorcycle. The launch at Above: LMI is expecting Motorcycle Live proved a success the BSA CP programme and LMI is poised for the licensing to grow following the launch of the new programme to grow exponentially. motorcycle last year.

The agency will also be focusing on the growing NFT world this year, while also continuing to build the programmes for other brands in its portfolio such as International Space Archives, Highclere Castle, Schönbrunn Palace and Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust.

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STATE OF THE NATION: BRANDS

Motul eyes growth in Japan

Inset: Battersea has ambitious plans for further licensing growth in 2022.

Lifestyle brand, Motul is continuing its expansion into Inset: Motul is aiming to become a popular licensing, appointing Ingram as its lifestyle brand in multiple agent for Japan. categories and markets.

The brand – which specialises in high-tech engine lubricants – has launched a major licensing drive and is targeting categories including apparel, stationery, housewares, backpacks, phone covers, kitchenware and car accessories among others.

Licensing specialist, Laurent Taieb, is managing the campaign and commented: “Motul is a globally recognised name that is perfectly positioned to become a popular lifestyle brand in multiple categories and markets. We are delighted to be working in the key Japanese market with Ingram, an established and respected name with a strong international reach and a powerful reputation for working with both overseas and lifestyle brands.”

Guiding light Bulldog Licensing has confirmed a new collaboration between the Guide Dogs charity and British design brand, Fenella Smith.

The new collection will aim to celebrate the inspiring and life changing companionship formed by the work Guide Dogs do with dogs and their owners.

Products include a range of mugs (which come as sets of four or sold as singles), a porcelain dog bowl and a treat jar, each with hand-drawn illustrations of Guide Dog breeds. All pieces are ethically sourced and created by Fenella Smith – a climate positive company through Offset Earth.

Fenella Smith will donate a minimum of £2,500 to Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

Above: The Fenella Smith collection includes hand-drawn illustrations of Guide Dog breeds.

Battersea’s animal magic In 2021, Battersea launched a successful DTR range of gifts and games in M&S with its licensing agent, The Point.1888, as well as launching products with Carousel Calendars, Cardology, Danish Designs, DC Thomson and Jude’s. Now, Battersea is looking to continue that momentum into 2022.

Seven more licensees have been signed including pet toys from Rosewood, home and gift products from Half Moon Bay, bottles and lunchware from Zak and accessories for dog and cat lovers from Drew Pearson.

“After a very successful outing at BLE, the interest and demand in Battersea licensed products has never been as high, with some very exciting new developments in discussion that we look forward to sharing throughout the year,” said Warren Traeger, licensing manager at Battersea.

“Dogs and cats have been a hot topic throughout the pandemic, and we are thrilled that licensees and retailers are seeing the opportunity for great products, while supporting an iconic national institution that has been improving the lives of pets for over 160 years.”

ARTiSTORY launches artist collaborations programme

Art and cultural IP specialist, ARTiSTORY has taken the next step with its licensing model by launching its artist collaborations programme.

The partnerships with living artists will see three-way co-branding between brands, artists and museums and gives established and emerging artists the chance to draw inspiration from the rich cultural and artistic treasures of the archives of ARTiSTORY’s museum partners, and create fresh, contemporary artwork in their own unique personal style.

Ukrainian artist Sveta Dorosheva and British artist Laura Greenan are already working on new artwork inspired by ARTiSTORY’s museum partner, Dunhuang. Sveta is creating canopies, murals and flying images of Dunhuang taking inspiration from the murals of the Mogao Caves, while Laura is currently working on creations inspired by Dunhuang's architecture, canopies and Mojing patterns which will be licensed by ARTiSTORY for co-branded products.

Above: Ukrainian artist Sveta Dorosheva has taken inspiration from the murals of the Mogao Caves.

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Below: The L’Organiq range spans skincare, body care, teen and men’s skincare.

STATE OF THE NATION: BRANDS

RHS enhances multicategory appeal

Larkshead Licensing welcomes L’Organiq

Larkshead Licensing has signed natural skincare brand L’Organiq to its growing portfolio.

Created by Emma Chevrel, L’Organiq is an award winning, vegan, cruelty-free natural skincare range with sustainability at its heart. Emma created L’Organiq as she recovered from breast cancer and searched the market for natural products that supported her recovery needs. Finding nothing suitable, Emma decided that she would make the range her body required.

The L’Organiq range spans skincare, body care, teen and men’s skincare. All elements of Emma’s packaging are sustainable and reusable.

Larkshead Licensing will be the commercial custodian for L’Organiq, managing retail placement worldwide.

WildBrain CPLG adds USC WildBrain CPLG has been appointed to represent the University of Southern California (USC) across Europe, the UK, Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

As the agency’s Lifestyle roster grows, WildBrain CPLG will assemble a cross-category merchandise programme for the LA-based university with target categories including apparel, accessories, home, gifting, back to school and health & beauty.

The agency will utilise the university’s marks, seal and heritage assets, as well as graphics from the university’s intercollegiate athletics teams, to create an impactful consumer products range.

The representation deal with USC builds on WildBrain CPLG Lifestyle’s current remit for US university brands, including Yale University for EMEA, Russia, Australia and North America, and Harvard University for EMEA and Russia.

The RHS is underlining its strong appeal in a wide range of categories as it heads into 2022.

In the apparel category, the successful kids’ clothing partnership with George at Asda will see the spring/summer launch of a new clothing and accessories range, while, for the adult market, Hotter is planning to Above: Scholastic is launching four new RHS books in the launch a new range of canvas first quarter of 2022. shoes this spring.

The kitchenware category will enjoy a boost through Dexam, with adult kitchen textiles joining the existing children’s backpacks and meal accessories, while Annie Sloan’s range of decoupage papers for household decoration will see four additions in January with plans for a wider range of pieces later in 2022.

The partnership with publisher Scholastic continues in the first quarter of 2022 with new RHS titles for kids with an outdoors theme - RHS My Magical Garden, RHS Sticks, Stars, Dens and Stones, RHS Nature, A Magical Journey Through the Year and RHS The Springtime Garden - with more to come later in the year.

Plus, within its gardening heartland, Mr Fothergill’s is looking to launch its successful RHS seeds range into the Australian market, while The Posh Shed Company will be revealing plans for a product very soon.

The Hershey Company heads to Iceland MDR Brand Management is continuing to expand The Hershey Company brand in the UK. The Hershey Company has partnered with Above: The exclusive range of frozen desserts launched across Iceland Iceland Foods to launch an stores at the end of last year. exclusive range of indulgent frozen desserts across all Iceland’s stores in the UK, Iceland online and The Food Warehouse. This marks the first time Iceland will partner with a US confectionery company as part of its exclusive brands.

The first products launched included Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme Ice Cream Cake, Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme Cupcakes, with Reese’s Cheesecake and Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Crème Cheesecake.

Further product innovation, for both Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme and Reese’s will be developed throughout 2022 and beyond.

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… HEAD

Ahead of the game

Inset: HEAD believes that its move into sports drinks and nutrition is a natural expansion for the brand.

While HEAD Sport GmbH wasn’t immune to the affects of the ongoing pandemic in 2021, the company made some big in-roads in its licensing programme. These included moves into the fragrance, beauty and watch categories, while what it describes as a natural expansion into sports drinks and nutrition is continuing to gather pace as we embrace 2022. LSB finds out more.

L

ooking back at 2021, Giuseppe Faranna, vp division manager licensing at HEAD Sport GmbH, describes it as “a combination of ups and downs”.

On one hand, the challenges caused by the pandemic continued and were joined by supply chain and logistical issues.

However, there were also positive signals for the company in categories including bikes, fitness accessories, apparel in the US, in underwear and sleepwear, plus with its PENN brand, thanks to a collaboration with Vans and success in Primark. All of this activity

Above: HEAD is working with MaxSport for its sports nutrition products.

Inset: Giuseppe Faranna, vp division manager licensing, HEAD Sport GmbH.

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has set the company up with some solid foundations for further success in 2022.

One area where Giuseppe and the team are confident of seeing further growth is in nutrition and sports drinks. HEAD has been working with Bohemia Healing Mineral Waters for a number of years on sports and energy drinks, enjoying some good sales before Covid restrictions in the sports, travel and nightlife arenas hit.

However, a new distributor is now on board in Russia, while trials in Edeka – the largest supermarket group in Germany - have been promising and upcoming launches include new sports drinks and bottles, as well as thoughts around ready to drink/instant powders.

When it comes to nutrition, HEAD has signed with Slovakian company MaxSport, with initial products including protein bars, energy bars and supplements. The products have already proved popular in Czech Republic and Slovakia, while interest is now also coming from territories across Western Europe, the US and China.

As Giuseppe reveals: “On top of this, in Q1 we will have a great promotion starting which will include a key product of our core range and will run across Europe. We are super excited about this.”

The move into sports drinks and nutrition is a natural extension for the brand, Giuseppe highlights. “We support many athletes and we know that besides the perfect equipment – which of course we are

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… HEAD

involved in providing – they need to also consider other factors like nutrition or hydration. We know a lot about what athletes need and think that a collaboration with an expert partner in this field will create a great and successful synergy for both of us and helps to diversify the brand further.”

There are, however, a number of important factors which need to be considered when creating the ranges, says Giuseppe. “You need to have partners which are absolute professionals in these fields and which are carrying out all relevant testing and making sure that the product quality is high.

“Also, the products need to be in line with the requirements from the World Anti-Doping Agency for our athletes to endorse them. Moreover, the partners need to have a distribution network which reflects our brand and also where people usually would expect to find those products.”

Giuseppe continues: “The creation process in both product areas included a lot of testing and packaging design, expanding our team’s expertise - the more time you spend, the more you will learn from each other. We also had the chance to immediately let the athletes and coaches test the products.”

The focus now for Giuseppe and his team is making sure these two areas of business are successful, with future potential for growth into new territories or sub-categories. As well as the new partners, HEAD has also set some ambitious internal goals for growth, Giuseppe adds: “That means we will push and continue to build up our programme, trying to support our licensees to be even more successful and, if the pandemic or the supply chain issues would become less of a topic, it could be a good year for us.”

When it comes to the company’s main aims for 2022, Giuseppe is equally clear. “To continue to build up existing programmes, have a great and successful launch of new programmes and find innovative, performance orientated partners,

Inset: Elysee is the new global watch partner for HEAD.

Deal makers

As well as sports nutrition, the team has been busy securing new deals for the HEAD brand across a number of other categories.

These include a new footwear deal for the US, parts of Europe and the Middle East with UBC from Italy launching in Q1 2022. Also signed up is Swiss-based Blackwell Brands which will be focusing on bags and luggage for Q1/Q2 launch.

Giuseppe continues: “We have found a new global watch partner with the German Elysee group, which is exciting. In addition, we signed a global deal for fragrances, body and bath and suncare with Desire Fragrances, which should be launched in Q1/2022.

Moreover, in 2022 we are launching a new outdoor/trekking collection for Europe, not only on wholesale but also on loyalty channels, which is a great asset for us.

“This will be followed by a new consumer electronics partnership in Europe for 2022 and a very new endeavour in the GCC region, which will surprise many people. Last but not least, we signed our new partner for China/HK/Taiwan and Macau, for apparel and footwear (non tennis performance), socks/underwear and textile accessories which will see the opening of the first HEAD Mono brand stores in China in January. So, you can see we have been very busy.”

Left: Bags and luggage is a new category for HEAD.

which want to grow with us,” he says. “We have a special eye on China, not only because of the Beijing Winter Olympic games but also because our first HEAD Monobrand stores will open there in 2022, which is super exciting.”

Inset: A global deal has been secured with Desire Fragrances for body and bath, suncare and fragrances.

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STATE OF THE NATION: SUPPLIERS & SERVICES

Service charged LSB rounds up some of the latest news from the vital services sector as well as some corporate developments in the licensor arena.

Further growth for The Insights Family Above: Fabacus will integrate licensed product into the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla brand universe.

Ubisoft joins with Fabacus Ubisoft, Venum and Fabacus are launching an activation using physical licensed products to unlock digital rewards and experiences for consumers, in a deal brokered by IMG. For the first time, Fabacus – the company behind proprietary technology platform, Xelacore – has partnered with Ubisoft to integrate its licensed product into the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla brand universe, with a dedicated capsule collection with the brand Venum.

Fabacus is levelling up the possibilities of its technology to now cross formats and consumer ‘worlds’ with codes on physical Ubisoft x Venum products to unlock in-game rewards for players and their digital avatars.

Venum and Fabacus have previously partnered on a UFC x Venum collaboration to unlock exclusive products and UFC prizes.

Trevco acquires POD manufacturer

The Insights Family has launched its service into four new international markets.

As of 1 January 2022, the company started interviewing kids (3-18s) and parents in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Argentina and South Africa. This will see the business expand its operations to provide its clients with real-time data from 22 territories across six continents.

The new markets will follow the same methodology as the existing markets and will see the business survey 400 different children and 200 different parents every week (21,000 and 10,500 respectively a year).

With the addition of four new territories, The Insights Family will now interview a new family member somewhere in the world every 55 seconds. The launches of the new markets mean that the company now covers all the countries in the G20, providing brands and companies with access to ethical real-time data.

“2021 was a transformational year for the business, with us enjoying significant growth and development across the business,” commented Nick Richardson, ceo and founder of The Insights Family. “The expansion into these markets, based on client demand demonstrate our position as the global leader in kids, parents and family market intelligence.”

Trevco is expanding further into the UK with its acquisition of print on demand manufacturer, Mandarin International Brands.

The acquisition means that MIB’s 130-strong team will replicate Trevco’s US ecommerce model in the UK and Europe.

MIB is a key player in offering ecommerce solutions to licensed IP including turn-key fully integrated product design, photography, marketing, sourcing, manufacturing, decorating, warehousing and fulfillment.

Trevco will now leverage its proprietary ‘T-Commerce’ technology and digital advertising technologies to scale Mandarin’s UK and European footprint across DTC and wholesale ecommerce channels.

The acquisition will also enable Trevco’s ecommerce direct to consumer brand webstore offering to span globally.

Trevco will further invest $10m into the UK and Central Europe over the next 24 months, expanding its apparel and non-apparel print on demand capabilities.

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STATE OF THE NATION: SUPPLIERS & SERVICES

Golden Goose adds BrandXL to offer

Strategic licensing boutique, Golden Goose has revealed a new licensing admin system that will form part of its consultancy offering going forward, called BrandXL. As the first licensing admin system designed specifically for small and growing programmes, BrandXL gives multi-level access to stored licensing agreements, uploaded royalty reports and product submissions.

Inviting small and growing programmes to take up the offer of a free trial, Adam Bass, director at Golden Goose, commented: “We’ve concentrated 50+ years of professional licensing experience into a very easy-touse, intuitive system.”

Developed because “we needed one easily accessible, secure, online place for all of our licensing data,” BrandXL is available to agents, brand owners, client and licensee looking to manage the growth of their licensing programmes.

Above: TWG already powers the online stores of brands including Moonbug’s CoComelon and Blippi.

The Wildflower Group adds ecommerce division The Wildflower Group has formally introduced its ecommerce division, a 360-degree service which aims to help brands build and operate their own online storefronts.

TWG already powers the online stores of brands including Peanuts, Coraline’s LAIKA Studios, Discovery’s Shark Week, Moonbug’s CoComelon and Blippi, Matthew Berry’s Fantasy Life, Konami’s Yu-GiOh! and MotorTrend among others.

Over the past six years, the company has been busy building a comprehensive suite of solutions to support end to end ecommerce operations, all executed in-house.

These include building and managing a brand’s site; building a comprehensive product assortment by sourcing from licensees and directly from manufacturers; a full service marketing operation to draw in consumers; and a full service fulfilment centre.

Beanstalk extends reach Beanstalk has further extended its global reach by establishing offices in Mexico City, Mexico and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

In addition, the agency has established a licensing team dedicated to servicing the Caribbean, Central American, Andean and Southern regions of Latin America.

The agency is developing licensing programmes in Latin America for several of the world’s most recognisable brands.

The agency’s on the ground presence in Mexico and Brazil will provide direct, localised licensing expertise to assist clients in expanding their brands’ presence in the territory.

In addition to this, the agency is also actively identifying opportunities for native Latin American brands that can benefit from utilising licensing as part of their growing marketing strategies.

Brainbase revs up with Nissan

Brainbase has welcomed Nissan Motor Corporation – one of the world’s largest vehicle manufacturers – to its roster.

"Nissan has a rich history of ingenuity and innovation in the auto industry not only in their home country of Japan, but across the globe," said Nate Cavanaugh, co-founder and ceo of Brainbase. "Our companies' combined commitments to excellence and disrupting the status quo brought us together, and the Brainbase team is excited to support their high-growth licensing business with our industry-leading technology."

Nissan joins a Brainbase customer roster with leading global brands including BBC Studios, BuzzFeed, Chefclub, Crayola, Kathy Ireland Worldwide, Moose Toys, Penske Media Corporation, SYBO Games and the Van Gogh Museum, among others.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2022

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Jason Email: Tel: +4

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Celebrating Sonic’s 30th Anniversary in 2021

Over $1 Billion in Franchise Revenue to Date

#1 Video Game Movie of All Time*

Over 1.4 Billion Games Sold and Downloaded

Games, Movies, Animation, Mobile, Partnerships and more in 2022!

FOR LICENSING OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT: EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA:

US, CANADA & LATIN AMERICA:

REST OF THE WORLD:

Jason Rice Email: jason.rice@sega.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 208 996 4568

Alex Gomez Email: alex.gomez@segaamerica.com Tel: +1 (747) 400 2410, ext.203

Yoichi Kawamura Email: yo_kawamura@home.segasammy.co.jp Tel: +81 3-6864-2457

www.sonicthehedgehog.com/uk

@Sonic

@sonic_hedgehog

/sonicthehedgehog

/sonic

www.SEGAShop.co.uk

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SPORTING INSIGHT

Right: Brentford FC is retaining its first Premier League kit for the 21/22 season following value for money calls from fans.

Simon Gresswell, founder of sports licensing consultancy SGLP and Sport Ambassador for Products of Change, ponders on how a big change in core football merchandise could increase the sustainability of an iconic product and the business model used.

The circle of sporting life A

the relationship between sport/club and fans s a sports licensing consultant and the and how merchandise is right at the heart of Sport Ambassador for Products of the shared responsibility that Change, it’s genuinely exciting to sustainability has become. Just like see how the sports industry is addressing sports stars and athlete activists are sustainability on so many fronts. influencing fans’ consumer purchasing From operational ‘savings’ like reduced choices on a daily basis, sports and event schedules/locations and remote TV clubs have an everyday influence on production and commentary teams, to fans’ lifestyles. The now quite old adage the very fan-inclusive, removal of single of ‘small change, big difference’ applies in so many use plastics and athlete-led initiatives like Hannah ways to sport and fans.

Mills’ www.bigplasticpledge.com, it’s a fascinating Writing this shortly before Christmas, I was drawn time to observe and to be getting involved in and one morning to my sister-in-law’s latest actually, a privilege.

Above: Simon Gresswell, founder, SGLP. Facebook post about a well-known but small, Over the last year, I’ve brought together Below: Circular & Co in a group of licensing and retail experts Cornwall launched ‘the everyday lifestyle change, as one aspect of the world’s first cup, made sustainability group she runs in her town. They from football, rugby, golf, tennis, sailing from used cups’. use and sell ‘the world’s first cup, made and motorsport, to share, discuss from used cups’ from Circular & Co. and learn more about in Cornwall. This is an enterprise sustainability in relation to founded in 2003 with the guts and their work for their sports and ambition to try to change the clubs, even managing a face to world. Check them out face meeting and private tour www.circularandco.com. (thanks Gary) at the This got me thinking again about inspirational Tottenham how an apparently big change in Hotspur Stadium… our very own core football merchandise could form of LBE (location-based ultimately in fact make small and big education). It’s not an exclusive differences, to clubs and fans, but also club, it’s an industry team could increase the sustainability of an initiative and everyone related to iconic product and the business sports licensing and retail is also model used. welcome to join, share, discuss and I’m talking of course about football learn. Just ask me kits/shirts. In theory, the once a year simon@sglp.co.uk. purchase of every passionate football fan, What strikes me every time we looks absolutely ripe for further disruption meet and discuss, is the everand a move to a subscription-based, fully increasing attention being given to

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SPORTING INSIGHT

circular model at some point in future.

Easy to say, complex to do for sure and I’m fully aware that there’s not nearly enough room to consider all the implications in this short article. But with the development and marketing budgets that major kit cos and clubs have, I hope and believe they will already have plans to change the business model, or frequency of design changes at least, in future. Please don’t get me wrong, many major and more niche kit designers/manufacturers/sponsors have already made huge strides in the sustainability of the base materials and manufacturing and supply chain of these musthave, stadium to street to sofa items.

We should particularly applaud the work of Forest Green Rovers FC, the world’s greenest football club, eco-blazing their way from the world’s first bamboo-based kit in 2018/19 to their work with PlayerLayer, launching a new kit made from coffee waste in early 2021 and swiftly followed by another global-leading launch of a digital kit, with digital clothing brand republique.

But among the ‘material’ and base material changes being made to football kits, the stand out move recently must be the announcement from Premier League newcomer Brentford in November, that their 1st PL kit is to be retained for the 21/22 season, in response to fans VFM calls. So in effect, a small difference or maybe even doing nothing, in order to give fans better value.

Brentford’s ceo describes it as “only a little thing, but we believe it will help” and continues “it can only be a good thing to reduce kit cycles”.

Can’t argue with that at all, it’s apparently a small

change, with a big difference to fans. However, with the greatest of respect to Brentford, I’m sure the big six PL clubs would argue that the economics and T&Cs of their mega-kit deals, are hugely different and they therefore couldn’t experiment or make such decisions in the short-term.

If one of them did decide to go fully circular, in theory, what are some of things to consider and that could happen?

• Could they invest in all aspects of a circular subscription model? Over time, yes.

• Would they lose sales? Initially, possibly.

• Are they planning this? Probably…well I hope so.

• Could they do launch via the always controversial limited edition and third kits?

Hope so.

As evidenced by Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United last year, record-breaking shirt sales alone are a healthy part of the balance sheet. I believe they even sold a few on the other side of Manchester, when Jack Fantastic moved north, until this was overtaken by sales of a calendar of his calves. HNY City fans.

It would seem big clubs could in fact invest to make this big change, with ultimately only a small difference to their coffers and to their fans purchasing habits? It could, of course, also be construed as a small change, with a big difference to both fans and the planet. As a fan, just like the change to your coffee cup, it’s hopefully not a big ask either way.

So, who will show their full hand of sustain-abilities first?

Insight: Forest Green Rovers FC launched the world’s first bamboo-based kit in 2018/19, and in early 2021 worked with PlayerLayer on a new kit made from coffee waste.

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STATE OF THE NATION: SPORTS

Sports day

Inset: IMG is on board in Southeast Asia for FC Barcelona..

With so many major sporting events taking place this year, the stage is set for a bumper 12 months for the licensed sports category. LSB rounds up some recent highlights.

Fanatics adds Topps Ambitious Fanatics has acquired Topps trading cards and collectables business.

The acquisition of Topps’ sports and entertainment division includes all parts of its worldwide trading cards and collectables business – both the physical and digital divisions – which sells in more than 100 countries and has physical operations in 10 countries including the UK, Germany, Brazil, Italy and Japan.

The Topps brand will now be the foundation of Fanatics Trading Cards business – which launched in 2021 after the company secured exclusive, long-term trading cards rights from several sports leagues and players associations. These include Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association and National Football League Players Association among others.

IMG scores with FC Barcelona

Five-time UEFA Champions League winning football club FC Barcelona has appointed IMG as its master licensee in Southeast Asia to develop a consumer products programme for fans in the region.

Part of the club’s broader merchandising strategy and evolution into a global lifestyle brand, the multi-year deal will see IMG focus on lifestyle and fashion apparel, accessories, luggage and bags, gift and novelty, homeware and textiles, plus digital and tech product categories.

The addition of Topps – which also has rights with Major League Soccer, Formula 1, UEFA and Bundesliga – significantly accelerates the build out of the Fanatics Trading Cards business.

Left: The Topps brand will now be the foundation of Fanatics’ trading card business.

Below: Sales of Premier League Adrenalyn trading cards doubled domestically in 2021.

Premier move for Panini

Panini and The Premier League have secured a further multi-year extension to the Premier League collectables licence, which was granted to Panini in 2019.

Domestically, sales of Premier League Adrenalyn trading cards doubled in 2021 to confirm Adrenalyn as the market-leading brand for trading cards in the UK. The company has also established the Panini sticker album brand as the number one collectable in the UK, with Premier League sticker sales last season climbing to the highest level for 15 years, despite the challenges of the pandemic.

Internationally, Premier League collectables are at an all-time high as Panini leverages the strength of the Premier League brand worldwide thanks to its global network.

“We are proud to be awarded the most prestigious licence in the UK, and we relish the prospect of continuing to grow the market in the coming years,” commented Mike Riddell, UK md at Panini.

Below: Sales of Premier League Adrenalyn trading cards doubled domestically in 2021.

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THE ONLY AWARDS TOTALLY DEDICATED TO AWARD BRAND AND LIFESTYLE LICENSING THE AWARDS ARE NOW OPEN FOR ENTRIES. THEY ARE FREE TO ENTER AND DONE SO ENTIRELY ONLINE DEADLINE FOR ENTRY IS 8 MARCH 2022 The 2022 winners will be unveiled on Wednesday 27 April 2022 A lavish afternoon event at Hilton Park Lane, London The B&LLAs bring together retailers, licensees, brand owners and representatives to celebrate excellence in brand and lifestyle licensing.

For information on reserving tickets or tables to the event, please contact: Clare Hollick at Createvents Ltd using clare@createvents.co.uk or calling +44(0)1183 340085 For information on sponsorship or any other enquiries please contact: Ian Hyder, Joint MD of Max Publishing on +44 (0)7525 634306 ianh@max-publishing.co.uk

www.brandlicensingawards.co.uk Max Publishing, United House, North Road, London, N7 9DP T: +44 (0)207 7006740 W: www.max-publishing.co.uk

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LICENSEES

Ó

Licensees

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2022

LICENSEES

Licensees are partners (usually manufacturers or retailers) who obtain a licence from the licensor to make and sell products bearing the licensed character or brand.

The following section is devoted to purveyors of licensed products and those whose products might be suitable for licensing.

If you are a retail buyer reviewing licensed products available or a licensor looking for new products for your licences, read on.

81

118mm

Accessories

Contact us T: 0208 863 5628 E: michael.ball@dpieurope.co.uk W: www.dpieurope.co.uk 82

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Apparel

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Apparel

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Apparel

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Apparel and Desk clocks

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Backpacks, Mugs and Stationery

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Apparel & Accessories

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Apparel – Adults and Childrens Licensed Apparel

SPECIALIST IN LICENSED APPAREL LAUNCH BRAND NEW PRE-SCHOOL PROPERTY...

TOP PERFORMING SHOW ON CBEEBIES AND IPLAYER

THE #1 NEW TOY PROPERTY IN THE UK FOR 2021 (Source NPD)

“Bluey is the best show on television.”

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PYJAMAS SWIMWEAR

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Apparel – Adults and Childrens Licensed Apparel

+44 (0) 161 929 1122 rob.broadhurst@aykroyds.co.uk

DAYWEAR.

NIGHTWEAR.

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DA

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Apparel – Adults and Childrens Licensed Apparel

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DAYWEAR.

NIGHTWEAR.

SWIMWEAR.

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Bedding

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Bedding

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Children’s Publishing

P

© 2019 Rovio Entertainment Corporation and Rovio Animation Ltd. Rovio, All Angry Birds logos and characters are trademarks of Rovio Entertainment Corporation and Rovio Animation Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Avengers © 2019 Marvel. Baby Shark © Smart Study Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Pinkfong® Baby Shark™ is a licensed trademark of Smart Study Co., Ltd. Captain Marvel © 2019 Marvel. Dumbo © 2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Fingerlings® and all product names, designations and logos are trademarks of WowWee Group Limited. Copyright 2016-2019 WowWee Group Limited. All rights reserved. LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Brick and Knob configurations and the Minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2019 The LEGO Group. The Lion King © 2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. © MGA Entertainment, Inc. L.O.L. SURPRISE! TM is a trademark of MGA in the U.S. and other Countries. All logos, names, characters, likenesses, images, slogans and packaging appearance are the property of MGA. Mary Poppins Returns © 2018 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Match Attax © TOPPS Europe Limited, 2019. All rights reserved. © 2019 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. NICKELODEON, NELLA THE PRINCESS KNIGHT are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. © 2019 Spin Master PAW Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved. PAW Patrol and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Spin Master Ltd. Nickelodeon and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Shimmer and Shine © 2019 All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon, trademark of Viacom International Inc. Spies in Disguise™ and © 2019 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. Property of Fox. Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse © 2018 Marvel © 2018 SPA & CPII. © 2019 Super Wings™ All Rights Reserved. The Nutcracker And The Four Realms © 2018 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Secret Life of Pets is a trademark and copyright of Universal Studios. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLC. All rights reserved. DreamWorks Trolls © 2018 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved. TM & © 2019 Ugly Industries Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Wonder Park TM & © 2019 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

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Shark © Smart rademarks of King © 2019 Mary Poppins tional Inc. mer and Shine 2018 SPA & icensing LLC.

Children’s Publishing

Publishing for a new generation

Centum Books 20 Devon Square, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 2HR, UK. Office: +44 (0)1626 337736 • Fax: +44 (0)1626 334580 • Books@centumbooksltd.co.uk

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Dress Up

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Dress-Up

an 2022

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Party/Dress-Up

Exciting characters for Book Week, Be a Hero with our sustainable costumes!

Available for children and adults!

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March 3rd, available online now!

In your wildest dreams you could not imagine the marvellous surprises that await you!

Thereʼs no place like Amscan for your World Book Day costume!

©Amscan 2022, ©Anagram 2022. All Rights Reserved.

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Greeting Cards and Calendars

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Giftware

Looking for a licensing partner…

look no further, we’re more than just figurines.

GAME OF THRONES and all related characters and elements © & TM Home Box Office, Inc (s22) © 2022 Enesco Ltd. TM & © 2022 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. All Rights Reserved. © 2022 Peanuts Worldwide © 2022 Jim Shore Designs, Inc. TM and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s22) © 2022 Jim Shore Designs. © Frederick Warne & Co., 2022. © Disney HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. WB SHIELD: © & ™ WBEI. WIZARDING WORLD trademark and logo © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s22)

www.enesco.co.uk

ENESCO LIMITED, Brunthill Road, Kingstown, Carlisle, Cumbria, England, CA3 0EN. UK Customer Services Telephone: 01228 404022 Email: uksales@enesco.co.uk Overseas Customer Services Telephone: +44 1228 404066 Email: eurosales@enesco.co.uk en2119 licensing sourcebook ad22.indd 1

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LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Brick and Knob the NINJAGO logo are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2020 The LEGO Group.

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Contact Information Norman Thompson Norman Norman Thompson Thompson TT el: 1925 444474 Tel: +44 el:+44 +44 (0)(0) (0) 1925 1925 444474 444474 Mob: +44 7768 414304 Mob: Mob: +44 +44 (0)(0) (0) 7768 7768 414304 414304 Mail: norman@imagine8.com Mail: Mail: norman@imagine8.com norman@imagine8.com

Thompson Palatine Ind. Est. 8, 8, Palatine 8,Norman Palatine Ind. Ind. Est. Est. Tel: +44 (0)Avenue 1925 444474 Causeway Avenue Causeway Causeway Avenue Mob: +44 (0) 7768 414304 Warrington Warrington Warrington Mail: norman@imagine8.com WA4 6QQ WA4 WA4 6QQ 6QQ

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Including news, interviews and analysis, as well as an event diary, a hugely successful jobs board and more, The Source is the central hub of information for the worldwide licensing community.

The team behind LicensingSource.net has over fifty years experience in the licensing industry, and also own and organise The Licensing Awards, publish The Licensing Source Book Europe and an array of other market leading trade titles.

With an e-subscriber database of over 9,500 key contacts, advertisers can expect to receive high visibility, not only on the website, but also on the trusted daily news flashes and social media boasting a strong following.

For the very best information...

Go straight to The Source...

NEWS

ADVERTISING

Samantha Loveday saml@max-publishing.co.uk

Rob Willis robw@max-publishing.co.uk

Jakki Brown jw@max-publishing.co.uk

Ian Hyder ianh@max-publishing.co.uk

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Aid to Brand Owners and Retail Buyers

INTELLIGENT BUYING FOR LICENSED PRODUCTS FOR BRAND OWNERS A virtual shop window directly onto retailer buyers desktops ■ View popularity of products via your unique dashboard ■ Aide licensees quest to place products in front of retailers ■ Products displayed in via photos and descriptions controlled by you

FOR RETAILERS It’s a secret weapon for buying the right product at the right time ■ Browse products by powerful search tools ■ Consider timely buying by our brand populated calendar of events ■ Buy safe in the knowledge that all products are officially licensed

Interested in learning more?

Contact us through our website

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@TheBrandInformer

@TheBrandInformer

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RM Page_muk.pdf

1

06/10/2021

13:55

Brand Extension and Licensing Agent

RETAIL MONSTER RETAIL AND CONSUMER First approach to Licensing and Brand Management Globally

FOR LICENSING AND REPRESENTATION ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT: | l.dornan@retailmonster.com | v.ingram@retailmonster.com | g.witts@retailmonster.com

OUR SERVICES | Licensing | Marketing | Creative

| Content Advisory | International | Brand Sales

With offices across the US, London and Paris, Retail Monster is a Global Agency, providing end to end Brand Management services. With a core focus on driving retail and consumer demand. We are experts in delivering programmes that drive awareness and significant incremental revenue for our clients’ brands.

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y

Brand Extension and Licensing Agent

What sets Retail Monster apart is their tailored approach that each brand needs in term of the correlation to where its authentic fans are at. Retail Monster can help not only breathe additional breadth to the IP but also, ensure it becomes an evergreen.

Naz Amarchi-Cuevas, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Marketing and Licensing, SYBO.

BRAND LICENSES

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Brand Licensing Agency

Building Award Winning Licensing Programmes

Caroline Mickler caroline@carolinemicklerltd.co.uk +44 (0) 208 392 2439 / +44 (0) 07968 850239 carolinemickler.co.uk instagram.com/carolinemicklerltd linkedin.com/in/carolinemickler

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Brand Licensing Agency

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SPECIALIST AGENCY DEVELOPING LONG TERM LICENSING PROGRAMMES FOR BRANDS PINK KEY LICENSING LTD richard@pinkkey.co.uk | 07859 362 323 | www.pinkkey.co.uk @pinkkeylicensing

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Brand Licensing and Distribution Agency

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Character Costumes and Sports Mascots

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Business Multimedia Publishing & Events

MAX PUBLISHING The leading specialist publishing house for the licensing and consumer products sectors, offering high-quality, content-rich publications to an unrivalled database of over 100,000 licensors, suppliers, licensees, retailers and everyone inbetween. Our titles cover all core product areas, whilst our contract publishing business has seen specialist publications for companies including Universal Studios, Warner Bros,.

Disney, Entertainment One, Hasbro, Sanrio and many more.

MAX MEDIA VENTURES The digital studio within the Max group owns and operates numerous exciting digital news channels including LicensingSource. net. The studio also offers full-service digital development from websites to apps, social media programs, audio visual creation, company re-branding, 3D modelling, with clients including Licensing International, LDN Fashion and more.

For ANY marketing requirement – S112-S13_134-135_Max Publishing House Ad_muk.indd 2

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Business Multimedia Publishing & Events

Get in touch: hello@max-publishing.co.uk +44 (0)207 700 6740 www.maxmediagroup.co.uk

MAX LIVE EVENTS Not only does our award-winning production company organise the highlycoveted Licensing Awards, Progressive Preschool Awards and all others in the Max group, it also organises events for a myriad of third party clients from small conferencing and licensee days to major live events for names including Toni & Guy, Licensing International, The Negotiator Awards and hundreds more.

we have the expertise and solution S112-S13_134-135_Max Publishing House Ad_muk.indd 3

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Licensing Source Advert A5_Layout 1 12/01/2017 13:21 Page 1

Digital Licensing News

@LicensingSource

LicensingSource.net is the go-to resource for finding out what’s happening in the global licensing industry.

Including news, interviews and analysis, as well as an event diary, a hugely successful jobs board and more, The Source is the central hub of information for the worldwide licensing community.

The team behind LicensingSource.net has over fifty years experience in the licensing industry, and also own and organise The Licensing Awards, publish The Licensing Source Book Europe and an array of other market leading trade titles.

With an e-subscriber database of over 9,500 key contacts, advertisers can expect to receive high visibility, not only on the website, but also on the trusted daily news flashes and social media boasting a strong following.

For the very best information...

Go straight to The Source...

NEWS

ADVERTISING

Samantha Loveday saml@max-publishing.co.uk

Rob Willis robw@max-publishing.co.uk

Jakki Brown jw@max-publishing.co.uk

Ian Hyder ianh@max-publishing.co.uk

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LSB ad Sharp Sharp final Jan 22.pdf 1 14/01/2022 12:01:05

Creative Agency We maximise impact by integrating research, plus a playful sensibility, into our creative solutions.

Brand positioning and design

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Creative Agency

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Creative Agency

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Creative Services Agency

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Creative Services

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Creative Services

We’ve got this.

Customized creative services for manufacturers, retailers, and brands

A dedicated creative team when you need it most. jewelbranding.com

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Creative Services

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Creative Solutions and Design Agency

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Creative Solutions and Design Agency

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Data-driven licensing

Transforming brand licensing through the power of data.

Gain deeper connectivity, product visibility and trust across the value-chain.

Partnerships based on a foundation of accurate master data.

Safeguard your consumers, sales and partners.

A validation service you can rely on for the future.

Open avenues for new digital initiatives.

Broaden your brand universe through data driven strategies.

To learn more and to connect with us. fabacus.com

info@fabacus.com

fabacusuk

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Data-driven licensing

Complete your dataset.

Unlock your potential.

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Design Agency – Product, Packaging & Style Guide

Tango and the Tango device are trade marks of Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd. © Disney Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLC. All Rights Reserved. DreamWorks Trolls © 2019 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Design, Design Reprographics and Print

‘Proud to be the graphic reproduction and printing company to The Licensing Awards, Licensing Source Book and Max Publishing’ Some of the great people we’ve worked with...

BASED IN LONDON, METHOD UK IS A BESPOKE DESIGN, REPROGRAPHICS AND PRINT COMPANY, SPECIALISING IN PRODUCING AND MANAGING ALL MANNER OF WONDERFUL PROJECTS 020 7691 0922 Method UK 2020.indd2022.indd 1 S27_149_LSB_Spring 1

matt@thisismethod.co.uk

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Licensing Agent

L I C E N S I N G

ART

•

LICENSING

•

DESIGN

•

CREATIVITY A N I MAT I O N

ARTISTS

International designer, Catalina Estrada

HE R I TAGE COLLECTIONS fel the colors of nature

KIDS C H O I C E

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BES P OK E A RT WO R K Successful international licensing program includes wall paper, bed linen, cushions, handbags, accessories, school products, and many others.

Now available in the UK. For more information say hello@thisisiris.co.uk

FA S H I O N

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CHA R IT Y

C O N T E M P O R A RY

CLEANER

SEAS PROJECT

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Independent Licensing Agency

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Licensing Agent

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Licensing Agency

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Licensing Agency

TM

That s not my... books for babies

Leading brand and licensing agency with a host of household names For brands with pedigree, contact: S32

www.bulldog-licensing.com

info@bulldog-licensing.com

+44 (0) 20 8325 5455

bulldog_licensing

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Licensing Consultant and Brand Strategy

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Licensing Consultant To Manufacturers

Break into licensing..

Licensing Advice for Manufacturers

Just some of the many brands and manufacturers we have successfully worked with

Licensing Consultant To Manufacturers

..with Asgard Media

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Licensing Management Technology

The Future of Art & Design Licensing Manage your entire art licensing business on one platform.

Artonomo seamlessly integrates: • Archive Management • Art Availability Workflow Process • Contacts & Licensees • Contracts With Image & Product Detail • Royalties • Customer Portal For Clients & Licensees Available in Artonomo® Pro for professional licensed artists and Artonomo® Enterprise for agencies, cultural institutions, and art-intensive brand properties.

Learn more at artonomo.com

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Licensing Management Technology

Artonomo has changed the way that we handle our business. Not only has Artonomo provided a “backroom” foundation that allows us to compile all our data in one place, the program has streamlined our process and allowed our team to be more efficient in collaborating with our clients. Not to mention, our partners love it!

- Artonomo Enterprise Customer

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Licensing Management Technology and Brand Protection

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Licensing Management Technology and Brand Protection

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Licensing Relationship Management

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Licensing Relationship Management

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PR Agency

STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD Specialists in licensed characters and toys

Consumer PR Trade PR

Influencer Marketing

Social Media

Events E-marketing @highlightpr

01225 444268 www.highlightpr.co.uk

Pan-European Campaigns

25

industry awards in five years

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PR Agency

PR CAMPAIGNS THAT WORK FOR CLIENTS WE BELIEVE IN Media Coverage Social Activation Content Creation Strategic Consultancy l

l

l

We work with

“BIGTOP has secured amazing coverage in trade and business media across the globe.”

Anna Knight, VP of Licensing, Informa Markets

“You guys are bloody miracle workers!

Thank you so much.”

Gary Pope, CEO & Co-Founder, Kids Industries

Charlie Le Rougetel +44 7736 330676 l

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l

charlie@bigtop-pr.co.uk bigtop-pr.co.uk l

12/10/2021 10:17 14/01/2022 19:37

PR Agency

Every day is child’s play for us!

We promote Kids and Family content and build brands from script to screen to shelf and beyond.

S44

valerie@valerie-taylor.co.uk

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www.valerietaylorpr.com

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PR Agency

...we create B2B & B2C PR strategy & delivery Marketing support I Event management Social campaigns

& creative THE NO-NONSENSE, INTELLIGENT FULL-SERVICE PR CONSULTANCY

Get in touch...

Kirsty Barr Director I Kirsty@grapevine-pr.co.uk I +44 (0)7375 110558

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@GVGlobalPR

14/01/2022 19:42

PR Agency

St fr an o d H m ou er th t d e !

S168

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PR Agency

The Licensing and Broadcast PR and Marketing Specialists TRADE PR CONSUMER PR WEBSITE COPY SOCIAL NETWORKING TALENT MANAGEMENT CHARACTER TOURS REGULAR COLUMNS PRODUCT PLACEMENT PLACED FEATURES SPEECH WRITING COPYWRITING COMPETITIONS

Tylers • 1 Mallows Green Road • Manuden • Herts • CM23 1DG T 44 (0) 1279 887 101 E jgarner@kgmpr.com • W www.kgmpr.com S47

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PR Agency

Check out our new showreel at licensetopr.co.uk @licensetopr

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Contact: louise@licensetopr.co.uk 0207 637 4660

14/01/2022 19:48

Royalty Auditing

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Sustainability

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Sustainability Advisors

"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, "The of is all not secret on fighting the old, butfocus on building the energy, new."

"The secret of change change is to to focus all of of your your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new."

Socrates "The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not secret on fighting the old, butfocus on building the energy, new."

"The of change is to all of your Socrates not on on fighting fighting the the old, old, but on on building building the the new." new."

Socrates not but Socrates WHAT? We have the opportunity and responsibility to create the new business models, Socrates strategiesWe andhave innovations to deliver a sustainable future.

WHAT? the opportunity and responsibility to create the new business models, WHAT? the opportunity and responsibility to create the new business models, strategiesWe andhave innovations to deliver a sustainable future. strategies and innovations to deliver a sustainable future.

HOW? This will take cross-industry collaboration and clear purpose.

WHAT? We have the opportunity and responsibility the WHAT? We have the opportunity and responsibility to toacreate create the new new business business models, models, strategies and innovations to deliver a sustainable future.

HOW? This will take cross-industry collaboration and a clear purpose. strategies and innovations to deliver a sustainable future.

HOW? This will take cross-industry and a and clearlicensing purpose.expertise to The POC Advisors offer sustainabilitycollaboration know-how, brand deliver aThis bespoke experience, helping to support you yourlicensing sustainability journey.

HOW? This will take take cross-industry collaboration andon a and clear purpose.expertise The POC Advisors offer sustainability know-how, brand to HOW? will cross-industry collaboration and a clear purpose.

The POC Advisors offer sustainability brand expertise to deliver a bespoke experience, helping know-how, to support you onand yourlicensing sustainability journey. deliver a bespoke experience, helping to support you on your sustainability journey.

The POC Advisors offer sustainability know-how, brand and licensing expertise The POC Advisors offer sustainability know-how, brand and licensing expertise to to deliver deliver a a bespoke bespoke experience, experience, helping helping to to support support you you on on your your sustainability sustainability journey. journey.

 Step by step guides Quickby Wins  Step step guides  Step step guides Easy by steps  Quick Wins to Implementation Quick Wins  Step by step Timeline Easy by steps Implementation Step steptoguides guides  Easy steps Quick Wins toofImplementation Explanation terms, concepts & Timeline  Quick Wins  Timeline steps principles  Easy Explanation terms, concepts & Easy steps to toofImplementation Implementation Explanation  Timeline principles of terms, concepts & Timeline principles of terms, concepts & Explanation  Explanation of terms, concepts & principles principles

 More in-depth explanation of sustainability andofideas  More in-depthconcepts explanation  More in-depth explanation Workshops onconcepts specific andofideas sustainability sustainability concepts andofideas  More in-depth interventions Workshops on explanation specific More in-depth explanation of  sustainability Workshops on specific concepts interventions concepts and sustainability and ideas ideas interventions  Workshops Workshops on on specific specific interventions interventions

 Project management or support management for specific or  Project  Project management interventions support for specific or support for specific  Project management or Embedding Sustainability interventions Project management or interventions support Support for specific Organisational  Embedding Sustainability & support for for specific  Embedding Sustainability interventions Cultural Change  Support for Organisational & interventions Support for Organisational &  Embedding Sustainability Cultural Change Embedding Sustainability Cultural Change Support for Organisational Organisational & &  Support for Cultural Change Change Cultural

If you would like to discuss how POC Advisors can support your journey to a sustainable please us athow advisors@productsofchange.com an initial Iffuture, you would likecontact to discuss POC Advisors can support yourfor journey to adiscussion. sustainable Iffuture, you would likecontact to discuss POC Advisors can support yourfor journey to adiscussion. sustainable please us athow advisors@productsofchange.com an initial future, please contact us at www.productsofchange.com advisors@productsofchange.com for an initial discussion.

If you you would would like like to to discuss discuss how how POC POC Advisors Advisors can can support support your your journey journey to to a a sustainable sustainable If future, advisors@productsofchange.com future, please please contact contact us us at at www.productsofchange.com advisors@productsofchange.com for for an an initial initial discussion. discussion.

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www.productsofchange.com www.productsofchange.com www.productsofchange.com

S51

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Sports Licensing

Business built on sporting values, experiences & connections 2021 – A summer like no other

SPORTS LICENSING, MERCHANDISE, RETAIL, PROMOTIONS & PARTNERSHIPS

S52

Contact: Simon Gresswell, MD & Founder simon@sglp.co.uk www.sglp.co.uk

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Trade Association for Licensing Globally

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2/1/2021 11:09:29 AM 14/01/2022 19:59

Technology Service Provider

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Technology Service Provider

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Technology Service Provider

What What should should youyou look look for for in ain a Licensing Licensing Management Management Software Software Provider?

Provider?

EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE

Since 2003, Since we’ve 2003, worked we’ve worked in the in trenches the trenches with some with of some the of the world’sworld’s most influential most influential brand brand owners.owners.

Over the Over years, the years, we’ve we’ve learnedlearned a lot about a lot this about highly this nuanced highly nuanced industry. industry.

The kind Theofkind of knowledge knowledge impossible impossible to acquire to acquire withoutwithout battle-hardened battle-hardened experience. experience.

We putWe that putexperience that experience to worktofor work every for one every of one of our partners. our partners.

We’ll put We’ll it to put work it tofor work you, fortoo. you, too.

FINANCIAL FINANCIAL STRENGTH STRENGTH

Don’t risk Don’t everything risk everything on a startup on a startup with limited with limited ventureventure capital capital and a lot andofapromises. lot of promises.

MyMediabox MyMediabox is a business is a business unit of unit Jonas ofSoftware Jonas Software USA, Inc., USA, a subsidiary Inc., a subsidiary of CSI, of with CSI, with a CAD a$48+ CADbillion $48+ market billion market cap. We cap. have Wethe have autonomy, the autonomy, flexibility flexibility and creativity and creativity of a start-up of a start-up PLUS the PLUS monetary the monetary strength strength and security and security of a financial of a financial giant. giant.

SECURITY SECURITY ANDAND TRUST TRUST

“What 3rd “What parties 3rd parties will be will ablebe toable access to access your data?“ your data?“ Be sureBetosure ask! to At ask!

MyMediabox, At MyMediabox, we ownwe allown our all software our software and hardware, and hardware, outright. outright.

By leveraging By leveraging the financial the financial strength strength of our ofparent our parent company, company, we deploy we deploy state-ofstate-ofthe-artthe-art securitysecurity measures measures and redundancies and redundancies that offer that offer unparalleled unparalleled protection protection for ourfor partners’ our partners’ IPs. IPs.

FULLFULL SERVICE SERVICE PARTNERSHIP PARTNERSHIP We’ll never We’ll call never youcall our you “client.” our “client.”

Instead,Instead, we think weofthink of the companies the companies who choose who choose us as our us as partners. our partners.

And And we know we every know company every company is unique. is unique.

We’ll learn We’ll from learn from you, and you, we’ll andinclude we’ll include you in you the in conversation the conversation when when deciding deciding what new what features new features to add to the adddevelopment to the development roadmap. roadmap.

5-STAR 5-STAR CUSTOMER CUSTOMER SERVICE SERVICE Our partners Our partners rated the rated Mediabox the Mediabox Customer Customer Support Support Team with Team top with scores top scores in a recent in a recent customer customer satisfaction satisfaction survey!survey!

From your Fromdedicated your dedicated Account Account Manager Manager to the to the expertsexperts who answer who answer your support your support queries, queries, our multiour multinational national support support team isteam the best is theinbest the industry. in the industry.

www.mymediabox.com www.mymediabox.com

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THE INDUSTRY STANDARD ME DI A

Integrated Licensing Suite

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MOST WIDELY TESTED LICENSING SOFTWARE 55,000+ END USERS IN 120+ COUNTRIES

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Licensing Source Advert DPS_Layout 1 12/01/2017 13:45 Page 1

Digital Licensing News

LicensingSource.net is the go-to resource for finding out what’s happening in the global licensing industry.

Including news, interviews and analysis, as well as an event diary, a hugely successful jobs board and more, The Source is the central hub of information for the worldwide licensing community.

The team behind LicensingSource.net has over fifty years experience in the licensing industry, and also own and organise The Licensing Awards, publish The Licensing Source Book Europe and an array of other market leading trade titles.

With an e-subscriber database of over 9,500 key contacts, advertisers can expect to receive high visibility, not only on the website, but also on the trusted daily news flashes and social media boasting a strong following.

For the very best information...

G

NEWS

A

Samantha Loveday 180

saml@max-publishing.co.uk

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Ro

uk

Digital Licensing News

@LicensingSource

Go straight to The Source...

ADVERTISING Rob Willis robw@max-publishing.co.uk

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Ian Hyder ianh@max-publishing.co.uk

181

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Travel Experts Industry Travel Experts

Exposé Travel – Your one-stop shop for all Licensing and related exhibitions worldwide.

EXPOSÉ TRAVEL specialises in travel to licensing and related shows worldwide.

We have been offering some very special rates for flights and ho els to the many exhibitions that take place in different parts of the world and work with small boutique licensing agencies and retailers right up to the biggest companies on the show floo . We are also the exclusive travel partner to the Max Group of Companies, owners of The Licensing Awards and Licensing Source Book, and LicensingSource.net.

Dear Friends and Clients, First and foremost we hope that you are all getting back to some sort of normality after what has been a horrible 19 months. We hope that your businesses are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

As the industry’s specialist travel agent, you may have used our services in the last few years, and we hope that you were happy with our offers.

After a very quiet period for us since March 2020, Exposé Travel is now getting requests from several of our regular clients for Exhibitions happening in 2022.

You will speak to our experts, and we will be your personal point of contact.

Again, our best wishes for a speedy return to normalcy and please do consider us your personal travel agent for the trips ahead. We deal with one-man companies right up to 100+ person bookings for the biggest licensors.

And if we can keep Ian Hyder, Jakki Brown and Rob Willis happy with their demanding requirements, I’m sure we can help you!

Sincerely Paul Vasdev – +44(0)1883 349576 paul@exposetravel.uk www.exposetravel.uk

We are ready to take your requests for 2022 and we realise that, during the continuing uncertainty, your priority will be on the cancellation terms, and the protection you want if things do go awry once more.

And that is why now, more than ever, I encourage you to use our services as a licensing industry specialist.

Exposé can be your one-stop-shop for flight and hotels (plus everything in-between) and you will know that you can speak to me at any time, any day - if there are fresh travel problems - you won’t be on hold to a call centre to try and unravel bookings and fight for refunds for months on end.

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THE ONLY AWARDS TOTALLY DEDICATED TO AWARD BRAND AND LIFESTYLE LICENSING THE AWARDS ARE NOW OPEN FOR ENTRIES. THEY ARE FREE TO ENTER AND DONE SO ENTIRELY ONLINE DEADLINE FOR ENTRY IS 8 MARCH 2022 The 2022 winners will be unveiled on Wednesday 27 April 2022 A lavish afternoon event at Hilton Park Lane, London The B&LLAs bring together retailers, licensees, brand owners and representatives to celebrate excellence in brand and lifestyle licensing.

For information on reserving tickets or tables to the event, please contact: Clare Hollick at Createvents Ltd using clare@createvents.co.uk or calling +44(0)1183 340085 For information on sponsorship or any other enquiries please contact: Ian Hyder, Joint MD of Max Publishing on +44 (0)7525 634306 ianh@max-publishing.co.uk

www.brandlicensingawards.co.uk Max Publishing, United House, North Road, London, N7 9DP T: +44 (0)207 7006740 W: www.max-publishing.co.uk

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